wolf

wolf — noun

1. A wild creature of the canine family that has dense grey fur, a long muzzle, upr

1.nounB2
Definition

A wild creature of the canine family that has dense grey fur, a long muzzle, upright ears, and a bushy tail, and hunts together with other members of its pack.

Example

A single wolf howled at the full moon from the hilltop.

collocation: howl at the moon

A pack of wolves surrounded the old cabin in the snowy mountains.

collocation: pack of wolves

Common collocations
  • pack of wolves
  • wolf pack
  • wolf howl
  • lone wolf
  • wolf cub
Synonyms
  • canine

    broader scientific term for any dog-family animal; less emotionally charged than 'wolf'

  • lobo

    informal North American term for a grey wolf, rare in learner contexts

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2 (WOMANIZER): this sense refers only to the literal animal. The plural form 'wolves' is irregular.

Common Mistakes

I saw a wolf in my neighbour's garden.
I saw a wolf in the forest.
Wolves are wild animals, not typically found in urban gardens.

2. A man who makes frequent and forceful romantic or sexual advances toward women h

2.noun
Definition

A man who makes frequent and forceful romantic or sexual advances toward women he does not know well, often without caring about their feelings.

Example

Everyone at the office warned the new assistant that the boss was a wolf.

metaphorical use in workplace context

Roya told her sister to stay away from that wolf at the bar.

Common collocations
  • old wolf
  • like a wolf
Synonyms
  • womanizer

    more formal and less aggressive in tone than 'wolf'

  • predator

    stronger and more serious; implies a threat of harm, not just persistent advances

Usage Note

Usually singular. This sense is informal and carries a strongly negative judgment. It is less common in modern media than older slang uses.

Common Mistakes

He is such a wolf for eating so fast.
He is such a wolf for bothering every woman at the party.
'Wolf' as an insult about romantic behaviour is separate from the verb meaning 'eat quickly'.
Idioms

cry wolf

idiom

To keep asking for help when there is no real danger, so that people stop believing you when something serious does happen.

Mark had cried wolf so many times that nobody came when his house really caught fire.

If you keep calling the doctor for small problems, they will think you are crying wolf.

lone wolf

idiom

A person who prefers to do things alone and does not enjoy working or socialising in a group.

Indra has always been a lone wolf — she works best when nobody bothers her.

The new student was a bit of a lone wolf and ate lunch by himself every day.

keep the wolf from the door

idiom

To have just enough money to pay for basic needs like food and rent.

Maya took a second job to keep the wolf from the door.

With rising costs, it's hard to keep the wolf from the door.

a lone wolf

idiom

A person who prefers to do things alone and does not like being part of a group.

Diego is a lone wolf who rarely joins team activities.

In the office, Sara is known as a lone wolf who works best on her own.

throw somebody to the wolves

idiom

To put someone in a dangerous or difficult situation without offering any help or protection.

The manager threw the intern to the wolves during the meeting.

When the project failed, they threw Brian to the wolves to take the blame.

a wolf in sheep’s clothing

idiom

A person who appears harmless or friendly but is actually dangerous or deceitful.

The new neighbor seemed kind but turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Be careful of that salesman; he's a wolf in sheep's clothing.

wolf — verb

Word family

  • wolfish
    adjective
  • wolf-like
    adjective
  • wolverine
    noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four animals belong to the dog family (Canidae), but they differ in size, behaviour, and cultural associations. A wolf is the largest, typically weighing 30–80 kg, and hunts in organised packs; it symbolises wildness and loyalty in stories. A coyote is smaller (10–20 kg), hunts alone or in loose pairs, and is known for its clever, trickster role in Native American folklore. A fox is much smaller (5–10 kg), has a bushy tail and pointed snout, hunts alone at night, and is often depicted as sly or cunning in fables. A domestic dog is the tamed descendant of wolves, bred for companionship rather than wild survival. In everyday language, 'wolf' suggests danger or group loyalty, 'coyote' suggests clever survival, 'fox' suggests slyness, and 'dog' suggests friendliness. For example: 'The wolves surrounded the camp' (danger from a coordinated group) vs. 'That fox got into the henhouse' (one sneaky animal).

coyotefox ↗dog ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • wolf pack
  • lone wolf
  • wolf population
  • wolf habitat

Phrases

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'wulf', which came from Proto-Germanic '*wulfaz', tracing further back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*wl̥kʷos'. This ancient root is also the source of Latin 'lupus' and Greek 'lýkos' (λύκος). The word has stayed remarkably stable across thousands of years of Germanic and English speech. The verb sense 'eat greedily' appeared in the 1800s, comparing the eating style to how a wolf tears into its prey.