American black bear

noun

: black bear sense 1
With a population of more than 450,000, the American black bear now outnumbers all other bears put together and is not threatened with extinction.—Jane E. Brody, New York Times, 1 May 1990

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of American black bear was in 1800

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Dictionary Entries Near American black bear

American bittern

American black bear

American bladdernut

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Cite this Entry

“American black bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/American%20black%20bear. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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