coyote

coy-o-te · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A wild dog-like animal native to North America, smaller than a wolf.

  2. 2.

    (Slang) A person who smuggles immigrants across the US-Mexico border.

Forms

plural: coyotes

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    coyote ugly — extremely unattractive (slang)
  • •
    lone coyote — someone who operates alone

Related words

See also: fox, jackal, wild dog, wolf
Synonyms: brush wolf, prairie wolf

Etymology

From Mexican Spanish "coyote," from Nahuatl "coyotl" meaning the same animal. First recorded in English in the early 19th century.