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Glite Dictionary
furbearer

furbearer

1 8.8
An animal hunted or raised for its fur
  • noun
  • /ˈfɜrˌbɛrər/
  • Specialized
: animal de piel
  • Trappers target several species of furbearers for their valuable pelts during the winter months.

Examples

  • In North America, many furbearers are protected by law to prevent overhunting and conserve ecosystems.

  • The arctic fox was an important furbearer in Norway, Sweden, and Finland until the 1920s, when its numbers crashed.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Furbearers in the drop-down menu listing and then click on Bobcat.

    Blog text (9)

  • The government regulates hunting seasons for various furbearers to ensure their populations remain stable.

Surface Forms

furbearer singular
furbearers plural

Morphology

furbearer = fur + bearer (transparent) = fur + er

Formed from 'fur' + 'bearer' meaning 'one that bears (has) fur', a directly inferable compound for learners familiar with 'fur' and the agentive idea of '-er'/'bearer'.

Etymology

The word furbearer combines fur ('animal hair used for clothing') and bearer ('one who carries' or 'has'). So a furbearer is an animal that 'carries' fur, meaning an animal hunted or kept for its fur.