hyena

/haɪˈinə/

/haɪˈinə/

Other forms: hyenas

Hyenas, the most common carnivores in Africa, are medium-sized animals that resemble dogs but are more closely related to cats. Though they're famous for their creepy laugh, only one species of hyena makes a giggling noise.

Spotted hyenas are the largest of the four distinct hyena species, and they're also the one variety that emits a laugh-like sound when they're being submissive to another animal. These tough carnivores have powerful jaws and teeth that allow them to eat nearly anything, including the bones of dead mammals. Hyena derives from a root word that means "pig," but they aren't related to pigs either — they have their own unique mammalian family, Hyaenidae.

Definitions of hyena

1. noun

   doglike nocturnal mammal of Africa and southern Asia that feeds chiefly on carrion
   synonyms: hyaena

   types:

   Hyaena hyaena, striped hyena

   of northern Africa and Arabia and India

   Hyaena brunnea, brown hyena, strand wolf

   of southern Africa

   Crocuta crocuta, laughing hyena, spotted hyena

   African hyena noted for its distinctive howl

   Proteles cristata, aardwolf

   striped hyena of southeast Africa that feeds chiefly on insects

   type of:

   canid, canine

   any of various fissiped mammals with nonretractile claws and typically long muzzles