POLAR BEAR

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does polar bear mean? 

• POLAR BEAR (noun)
  The noun POLAR BEAR has 1 sense:

1. white bear of Arctic regions

  Familiarity information: POLAR BEAR used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• POLAR BEAR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

White bear of Arctic regions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

ice bear; polar bear; Thalarctos maritimus; Ursus Maritimus

Hypernyms ("polar bear" is a kind of...):

bear (massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws)

Holonyms ("polar bear" is a member of...):

genus Thalarctos; Thalarctos (polar bears; in some classifications not a separate genus from Ursus)

 Context examples 

The killing of a polar bear is very dangerous, but thrice dangerous is it, and three times thrice, to kill a mother bear with her cubs.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The study in the journal PLOS Biology lists what the authors say are the world's 10 most charismatic animals: tigers, lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards, pandas, cheetahs, polar bears, gray wolves and gorillas.

(Study: Popularity of Wildlife Can Harm Public's Perception, VOA)

The father of Keesh had been a very brave man, but he had met his death in a time of famine, when he sought to save the lives of his people by taking the life of a great polar bear.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)