wolverine
/ˈwʊlvəriːn
/noun
A heavily built short-legged carnivorous mammal with a long brown coat and a bushy tail, native to northern tundra and forests in Eurasia and North America.
- Gulo gulo, family Mustelidae.
- The researchers discovered shards of bone from mammoths, musk ox, brown bear, wolverine, rhinoceros, hares, bison, horses, reindeer, and cave lion.
- The weasel family includes such colourful characters as otters, wolverines, skunks, minks and badgers.
Origin
Late 16th century (earlier as wolvering): formed obscurely from wolv-, plural stem of wolf.