ursine

/ˌʌrˈsin/

Ursine means having similarities to bears. Many people think of koalas as ursine animals — but they're actually more closely related to kangaroos than bears!

Ursine means to have bear-like qualities: big, furry, muscular, and lumbering. If you're using the word to describe a big, hulking football player it might be perceived as a compliment. You can also use this word to refer to actual bears. You might, for instance, study the ursine diet in biology class. Ursine originated back in the 16th century, from the Latin word for — you guessed it — "bear."

Definitions of ursine

1. adjective

   of or relating to or similar to bears