grizzly

Everyday

1. A grizzly, or grizzly bear, is a large brown bear of North America with a hump on its shoulders and grey-tipped fur. tree →
2. (adjective) Grizzly can mean grey or grey-haired. tree →
3. (UK, informal) A grizzly baby or child is grumpy and whiny. tree →

In the lessons

In science and geography lessons, the grizzly is a top predator and an omnivore: it eats salmon, berries, roots and insects; it hibernates in winter. In outdoor safety lessons in Canada and the US, people learn bear safety: make noise, carry bear spray, never feed bears. Phrases: «grizzly bear», «mother grizzly», «a grizzly old man» (grey-haired).

Examples

• A grizzly bear caught a salmon in the river. tree →
• Grizzlies sleep through the winter in a den. tree →
• Hikers in Canada carry bear spray in case they meet a grizzly. tree →
• The grizzly has a big hump on its shoulders. tree →
• (UK, informal) The baby was grizzly because she was tired. tree →
• A mother grizzly protects her cubs fiercely. tree →

Note

Plural: «grizzlies» (y → ies). Homophone trap: «grizzly» (bear, grey) and «grisly» (horrible, gory: a grisly murder) sound the same. Grizzlies are a kind of brown bear, not a separate species.