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hyena

hy·e·na [ hī nə ] (plural hy·e·nas) or hy·ae·na [ hī nə ] (plural hy·ae·nas)


noun 
Definition:
 
wild animal resembling dog: a carnivorous scavenging animal resembling a dog, with a sloping back and loping gait. Native to: Africa, South Asia.  Family Hyaenidae.

[14th century. Directly or via French< Latin hyaena< Greek huaina, form of hus "pig"]

hy·en·ic adjective
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