hyenine

comparative more hyenine · superlative most hyenine

1. Characteristic of or pertaining to hyenas.

   As, however, the leading characteristic of its formation appears to tend rather towards the canine than the hyenine type, the Hunting-Dog has been provisionally placed at the end of the dogs rather than at the end of the hyenas.

   1885, Joseph Bassett Holder, Our Living World

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   In its actions, as well as its appearance, it resembles the hyenas, bristling up its mane when angry, like the striped species, and having the hyenine habit of walking or crawling upon wrist and ankle-joints when fighting or defending itself, with the object of defending its feet from injury.

   1888, John Sterling Kingsley, Friedrich von Hellwald, The Riverside Natural History - Volume 5, page 435

   That wretched animal's vile din was made To seem the fretful yap of Pekinese By an appallingly hyenine bark Which evidently made the dog's blood freeze, For his rebellion ceased at once, and stark Terror replaced the murder in his eye.

   1994, David Gascoyne, Selected poems, →ISBN, page 190