— hyenic, hyenine /huy ee"nuyn, -nin/ , adj.
/huy ee"neuh/ , n.
a doglike carnivore of the family Hyaenidae, of Africa, southwestern Asia, and south central Asia, having a coarse coat, a sloping back, and large teeth and feeding chiefly on carrion, often in packs.
Also, hyaena . Cf. brown hyena, spotted hyena, striped hyena .
[ 1350-1400; ME hiena hyena, L hyaena hýaina, equiv. to hy- (s. of hys ) hog + -aina fem. suffix; r. ME hyane, hyene hiene ]