n.
Pronunciation: ' wu ̇ lf
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural wolves \ ' wu ̇ lvz \
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wulf; akin to Old High German wolf wolf, Latin lupus, Greek lykos
Date: before 12th century
1 plural also wolf a : any of several large predatory canids (genus Canis ) that live and hunt in packs and resemble the related dogs especially : GRAY WOLF ― compare COYOTE , JACKAL 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
– wolf · like \ ' wu ̇ lf- ˌ l ī k \ adjective
– wolf in sheep's clothing : one who cloaks a hostile intention with a friendly manner