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Glite Dictionary
prairie fox

prairie fox

8.3
A small grey fox that lives in the open grasslands of western North America
  • noun
  • /ˈprɛəri fɑks/
  • US
translation icon : zorro de la pradera
  • The prairie fox is well adapted to the open grasslands of the Great Plains.

Examples

  • Researchers observed a family of prairie foxes near their den at dusk.

  • Conservation efforts have helped increase the prairie fox population in recent years.

  • The prairie fox is known for its agility.

  • I saw a prairie fox while hiking in Wyoming.

  • The prairie fox is known for its distinctive grey coat and swift movements across the plains.

  • Wildlife photographers captured stunning images of a prairie fox in its natural habitat during sunset.

  • During a nature walk, we spotted a prairie fox darting through the tall grass.

Synonyms

Vulpes velox
vsprairie fox
  • Specialized
9.9

A small grey fox from the plains of western North America often called the swift fox

is the same meaning but uses a different common name

Surface Forms

prairie fox singular
prairie foxes plural

Morphology

prairie + fox

The noun combines 'prairie' (grassland) + 'fox' to denote a fox that lives on the prairie; its meaning is directly derivable from the constituents. This straightforward noun–noun compound follows common compounding patterns found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it.

Etymology

The noun prairie fox comes from the two words prairie (the 'open grassland' where it lives) and fox (a small wild animal). Because this small, grey fox lives and hunts on the prairie, the name simply points to the animal we mean today.