Grizzly
/ˈɡrɪz.li/noun
A large North American bear with grayish or silver-tipped fur, or anything grayish and streaked.
Did you know?The bear name likely grew out of French gris, meaning “gray,” so the creature’s title began as a color word before it became a symbol of raw wilderness.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
OF
grisel
“grayish, grizzled”
Middle English
ME
grisel
“gray, gray-haired, grizzled”
17th Century
English
grizzly
“gray-haired or streaked with gray”
19th Century
English
grizzly bear
“a North American bear named for its grayish, frosted appearance”
Modern English
English
grizzly
“a grizzled, grayish, or silver-tipped appearance; also the bear species”