black bear

noun

: the common North American bear (Ursus americanus) ranging in color from brown or typical black to white

Illustration of black bear

Examples of black bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The current Michigan state-record black bear, according to Boone and Crockett Club, is bear whose skull measured 22 11/16 inches and was killed in Newaygo County in 2009 by Donald R. Corrigan. Ben East, Outdoor Life, 28 Nov. 2024 The only wild bears in the San Bernardino Mountains or anywhere else in the state are black bears, according to the Fish and Wildlife Department. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024 Similar Incidents Earlier this month, a black bear and its three cubs attacked a man inside his home in Lake City, Colorado, after crashing through a sliding-glass door. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 The footage, which was posted on Facebook, shows a black bear sniffing around a garage at night. Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for black bear 

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black bear was in 1589

Dictionary Entries Near black bear

Cite this Entry

“Black bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20bear. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

black bear

noun
: the common usually black-furred bear found in North American forests

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