World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariesiena
Pronunciation / Transliteration: ˈjɛna
"Un branco di iene si avvicinò alla preda."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A carnivorous mammal of Africa and Asia, with strong jaws, sloping back, and a distinctive vocalization resembling a human laugh.
"The pack of spotted hyenas hunted across the savannah under the cover of night." - 2
A cowardly or treacherous person.
"He felt like a hyena for betraying his closest friend's trust."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the ancient Greek hyaina, feminine of hyis meaning 'pig', due to a folk belief that the animal resembled a swine or changed its sex annually. The term entered Late Latin as hyaena before spreading into various Romance languages and eventually English in the late 16th century.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Hyena"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Hyena" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
hyène
Transliteration: iɛn
"La hyène est un redoutable prédateur de la savane."
Hyäne
Transliteration: hyˈɛːnə
"Die Hyäne ist für ihr markantes Lachen bekannt."
iena
Transliteration: ˈjɛna
"Un branco di iene si avvicinò alla preda."
hiena
Transliteration: ˈjena
"La hiena ríe en medio de la noche africana."
hiena
Transliteration: iˈẽnɐ
"A hiena é um animal carnívoro encontrado na África."
लकड़बग्घा
Transliteration: lakaṛbagghā
"जंगल में एक लकड़बग्घा घूम रहा था।"
鬣狗
Transliteration: liè gǒu
"鬣狗是出色的草原清道夫。"
하이에나
Transliteration: ha-i-e-na
"하이에나는 무리 지어 사냥을 합니다."
ハイエナ
Transliteration: haiena
"ハイエナはサバンナに生息する肉食動物です。"
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Not producing or containing venom; incapable of injecting poison through a bite, sting, or other mechanism.
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