brown bear

American

noun

any of several medium-sized to large bears of the species Ursus arctos, inhabiting North America and Eurasia in dwindling populations, characterized by an upturned muzzle and a hump high on the back and ranging from light tan to near black; formerly considered three distinct species and often still referred to as such: U. horribilis, the grizzly bear; U. middendorffi, the Kodiac bear; and U. arctos, comprising European and Asian brown bears.

brown bear British

noun

a large ferocious brownish bear, Ursus arctos , inhabiting temperate forests of North America, Europe, and Asia See also grizzly bear Kodiak bear

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of brown bear

First recorded in 1775–85

Compare meaning

How does brown-bear compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

brown bear vs. grizzly bear

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It's of a brown bear with big claws and a blonde woman in a green pinafore dress beside it.

From BBC

In the cage next to Hector’s, an ancient brown bear slept curled in a corner.

From Literature

She is already preparing for a dream expedition with Paul to Finland next year, where they hope to photograph brown bears and wolves.

From BBC

Two types of bear are found in Japan - Asian black bears, and bigger brown bears which are found on the island of Hokkaido.

From BBC

Chunk received the most votes in a competition between 12 brown bears where voters pick the one they believe "best exemplifies fatness and success" as they prepare for winter hibernation.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023