the fox may grow grey but never good

proverb

One cannot change one's nature, no matter how much time passes.

Similar
a leopard cannot change its spotsthe wolf may lose his teeth but never his natureyou can't teach an old dog new tricks
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Meanings

proverb
  1. One cannot change one's nature, no matter how much time passes.

    Synonyms: a leopard cannot change its spots, the wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature, you can't teach an old dog new tricks

Synonyms & antonyms

proverbOne cannot change one's nature, no matter how much time passes.

Similar
a leopard cannot change its spotsthe wolf may lose his teeth but never his natureyou can't teach an old dog new tricks
Also see
a leopard cannot change its spotsthe wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature

Translations

French les loups peuvent perdre leurs dents, mais non le naturel
  • les loups peuvent perdre leurs dents, mais non le naturelone cannot change one's own nature
German der Wolf ändert wohl sein Haar, aber er bleibt, wie er war
  • der Wolf ändert wohl sein Haar, aber er bleibt, wie er warone cannot change one's own nature
Greek ο λύκος κι αν εγέρασε κι άσπρισε το μαλλί του, μήτε τη γνώμη άλλαξε, μήτε την κεφαλή του
  • ο λύκος κι αν εγέρασε κι άσπρισε το μαλλί του, μήτε τη γνώμη άλλαξε, μήτε την κεφαλή του (o lýkos ki an egérase ki ásprise to mallí tou, míte ti gnómi állaxe, míte tin kefalí tou)one cannot change one's own nature
Italian il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio
  • il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizioone cannot change one's own nature
Latin lupus pilum mutat, non mentem
  • lupus pilum mutat, non mentemone cannot change one's own nature
Russian волк каждый год линяет, да обычая не меняет, горбатого могила исправит
  • волк каждый год линяет, да обычая не меняет (volk každyj god linjajet, da obyčaja ne menjajet)one cannot change one's own nature
  • горбатого могила исправит (gorbatovo mogila ispravit)one cannot change one's own nature
  • зарекалась лиса кур не воровать (zarekalasʹ lisa kur ne vorovatʹ)one cannot change one's own nature
Spanish el lobo muere lobo
  • el lobo muere loboone cannot change one's own nature
Yiddish אַ חזיר בלײַבט אַ חזיר
  • אַ חזיר בלײַבט אַ חזיר (a khazer blaybt a khazer)one cannot change one's own nature
Cite this entry
APA

the fox may grow grey but never good. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20fox%20may%20grow%20grey%20but%20never%20good

MLA

“the fox may grow grey but never good.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20fox%20may%20grow%20grey%20but%20never%20good. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the fox may grow grey but never good,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20fox%20may%20grow%20grey%20but%20never%20good.

Source: the fox may grow grey but never good on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.