wolf

1 of 2

noun

ˈwu̇lf 

 nonstandard  ˈwu̇f

plural wolves ˈwu̇lvz 

 nonstandard  ˈwu̇vz

often attributive

1

plural also wolf

a

: any of several large predatory canids (genus Canis) that are active mostly at night, live and hunt in packs, and resemble the related dogs

especially : gray wolf

Note: Wolves have long been viewed as threats to livestock and people resulting in significant worldwide declines in their numbers and range size due to persistent eradication efforts (as by hunting, trapping, and poisoning).

b

: the fur of a wolf

2

a(1)

: a fierce, rapacious, or destructive person

(2)

: a man forward, direct, and zealous in amatory attentions to women

b

: dire poverty : starvation

keep the wolf from the door

c

: the maggot of a warble fly

3

[German; from the howling sound]

a(1)

: dissonance in some chords on organs, pianos, or other instruments with fixed tones tuned by unequal temperament

(2)

: an instance of such dissonance

b

: a harshness due to faulty vibration in various tones in a bowed instrument

wolflike

ˈwu̇lf-ˌlīk 

adjective

wolf

2 of 2

verb

wolfed; wolfing; wolfs

transitive verb

: to eat greedily : devour

Phrases

wolf in sheep's clothing

: one who cloaks a hostile intention with a friendly manner

Synonyms

Noun

• Casanova
• Don Juan
• lecher
• lothario
• lounge lizard
• masher
• philanderer
• satyr
• womanizer

Verb

• bolt
• cram
• devour
• glut [archaic]
• gobble
• gorge
• gormandize
• gulp
• ingurgitate
• inhale
• raven
• scarf
• scoff
• slop

Examples of wolf in a Sentence

Noun

no sooner had the lottery winner's name been made public than the wolves with their investment schemes showed up on her doorstep

Verb

don't wolf your food or you'll be sick

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Gray wolves and moose roam freely, a restless dance of predator and prey subject to an iconic, decades-long study of the volatile population dynamics. —Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024

The Endangered Species Act allowed wolves to reemerge Wolves once roamed across all of North America. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024

Verb

There’s a complete lack of self-consciousness in Mother’s wolfing down handfuls of meatloaf or playfully woofing at strangers in public, and that’s matched by what Adams is doing to bring this woman to life. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024

In 2019, one edition that sold for $190,000 at Art Basel Miami was wolfed down by performance artist David Datuna. —George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English wulf; akin to Old High German wolf wolf, Latin lupus, Greek lykos

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1862, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing wolf

• cry wolf
• dire wolf
• Eastern timber wolf
• gray wolf
• keep the wolf from the door
• lone wolf
• maned wolf
• prairie wolf
• red wolf
• timber wolf
• wolf dog
• wolf pack
• wolf spider
• wolf tree
• wolf whistle

Kids Definition

wolf

1 of 2 noun

ˈwu̇lf 

plural wolves ˈwu̇lvz 

1

plural also wolf : any of several large bushy-tailed mammals with ears standing straight up that resemble the related dogs, that prey on other animals, and that often live and hunt in packs

especially : gray wolf compare coyote, jackal

2

: a person who resembles a wolf in fierceness

wolfish

ˈwu̇l-fish

adjective

wolflike

ˈwu̇l-ˌflīk 

adjective

wolf

2 of 2 verb

: to eat greedily

wolfed down the pizza

Biographical Definition

Wolf 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈvȯlf 

Friedrich August 1759–1824 German philologist

Wolf

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Hugo Philipp Jakob 1860–1903 Austrian composer