mid-14c., from Old French hiene, from Latin hyaena, from Greek hyaina "swine" (fem.), from hys "pig" + fem. suffix -aina. So called for its bristles. Applied to cruel, treacherous, and greedy persons since at least 1670s. Adjectival forms that have been attempted in English include hyenaish, hyenaesque, hyenic, hyenine.
雙語例句
1. African hyena noted for its distinctive howl.
非洲鬣狗,以其特別的嚎叫而聞名.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
2. The savanna is also the home of meat - eaters — the lion, leopard, and hyena who feed on the grasseaters.
大草原也是食肉動物的家鄉(xiāng)--獅子 、 豹 、 鬣狗--它們都是以草食動物維持生命的.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
3. The hyena's public image is not aided by its ridiculous appearance.
鬣狗滑稽的外表無助于改善它在公眾心中的形象.
來自辭典例句
4. Yet, in spite of its awkward, slouching gait, the hyena can run surprisingly quickly.