Arctic wolf
1
4.4
- noun
- /ˈɑrk.tɪk wʊlf/
- Specialized
:
lobo ártico
- A pack of Arctic wolves hunts together to bring down larger prey, showcasing their teamwork.
Examples
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In the vast tundra, an Arctic wolf prowls silently, its black-tipped tail held high.
-
I'd shout out something like, "A pack of arctic wolves would tear our heads off!" I never understood the point of the joke.
Fiction book (1999) -
To parse wolf fact from fiction, we caught up with Daniel MacNulty, a wildlife-ecology professor at Utah State University whose research on Arctic wolves is funded in part by the National Geographic Society.
Blog text (20) -
The Arctic wolf has thick white fur that helps it survive in the cold climate.
Synonyms
1
4.2
A large wolf that lives in Arctic North America and has white fur
A large white wolf that lives in the Arctic with a black tip on its tail
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'Arctic' (relating to the North Pole region) modifies 'wolf' so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it refers to a wolf from the Arctic. While the entry adds specific taxonomic or color details, the core referent (a wolf living in Arctic regions) is fully predictable and cross-linguistically transparent.
Etymology
Arctic wolf names a kind of wolf that lives in the Arctic and has thick white fur to hide in the snow. So, it means 'a wolf from the Arctic'.