Wolverine
/ˌwʊlvəˈriːn/noun
A stocky, dark-furred carnivorous mammal of the northern forests, known for its strength and ferocity.
Did you know?Wolverine is not directly from Latin or Greek mystery-language; it comes through a chain of European words ultimately tied to the same ancient root that gave English wolf.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wĺ̥kʷos
“wolf”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wulfaz
“wolf”
Old English
OE
wulf
“wolf”
Middle English
ME
wolverine
“a small musteline animal, probably thought of as wolf-like”
Modern English
English
wolverine
“a large, powerful northern carnivore”