The ursine definition is short: ursine means relating to bears, or like a bear in look or behaviour. A zoologist might write about ursine teeth, and a novelist might describe a large, shaggy, slow-moving man as having an ursine build.
Ursine belongs to a family of animal adjectives that come from Latin, such as feline for cats and canine for dogs. You will not hear it much in casual speech, but it turns up in science writing, nature documentaries, fiction and crossword puzzles, and once you know it you will spot it often.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Of bears; bear-likePart of speech
Adjective (rarely a noun for a bear)Pronunciation
UR-syn (rhymes with fur + line); also UR-seenOrigin
Latin ursinus, from ursus, bear; English from the 1550sRelated words
Ursa Major, Ursidae (the bear family), UrsulaRegister
Formal, scientific or literary
Ursine definition and both senses
To define ursine clearly, split it into two uses:
- Literal, scientific: belonging to or connected with bears. "Ursine species include brown, black and polar bears." Here it is a neutral, technical label.
- Descriptive, figurative: like a bear in some way: large, heavy, hairy, slow, gruff or protective. "The coach gave him an ursine hug that lifted him off the ground."
In the second sense the tone depends on the writer. It can be affectionate (a big, cuddly bear of a man) or a little unflattering (clumsy, grumpy, lumbering).
From Latin ursus, with a link to the Arctic
English took ursine in the 1550s from Latin ursinus, which comes from ursus, bear. The female form ursa gives us the star groups Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Great Bear and Little Bear, and the given name Ursula means little she-bear. Latin ursus is related to Greek arktos, also bear. The Greeks linked the far north with the Bear constellation, and that is where the word Arctic comes from. So when you say Arctic, you are, in a roundabout way, saying bear country.
Example sentences
- The museum's new hall traces ursine evolution from small forest animals to giant cave bears.
- My uncle has an ursine habit of sleeping most of the winter weekends.
- Park rangers posted warnings about ursine visitors near the campsite bins.
- The children's book features an ursine detective in a tweed coat.
- He has a gentle, ursine presence that makes nervous puppies relax.
Other animal adjectives like ursine
| Adjective | Animal | Typical figurative sense |
|---|---|---|
| Ursine | Bear | Large, shaggy, gruff |
| Feline | Cat | Graceful, sly, independent |
| Canine | Dog | Loyal; also the pointed tooth |
| Lupine | Wolf | Hungry, predatory |
| Vulpine | Fox | Cunning, sharp-faced |
| Equine | Horse | Long-faced, strong |
| Bovine | Cow or ox | Slow, placid, dull |
| Porcine | Pig | Plump; often rude |
Comparing a person to an animal like this works much like a compressed metaphor. Saying "he moves like a bear" would be a simile.
How to use it well
Ursine is an adjective, so it goes before a noun (ursine features, an ursine shuffle) or after seem, look or appear (the creature looked almost ursine). It has no common adverb or comparative form; writers say "more bear-like" instead of "more ursine" in casual text.
Because it is formal, ursine can sound playful when used in everyday settings, which is often the point. In scientific writing, prefer it when you mean the bear family as a group. More useful words for daily reading are collected in the everyday vocabulary section.
Mix-ups to watch for
Ursine has nothing to do with urine, urban or the Latin urbs (city). It is also not related to Ursuline in a direct way, though that name for a group of nuns comes from Saint Ursula, whose name does trace back to ursa. Spelling mistakes include "ursene" and "ursin". Remember the -ine ending shared with feline and canine.
Frequently asked questions
Can you explain ursine for a child?
Ursine is a fancy way to say to do with bears, or like a bear. A large, hairy, slow-moving person or animal can be called ursine.
How do you pronounce ursine?
Most people say UR-syn, rhyming the end with line. UR-seen is also heard. Begin it like the word urge.
Is ursine an insult?
Not usually. It can be affectionate or neutral. It only turns rude if the writer stresses clumsiness, size or grumpiness in a mocking way.
Is a panda ursine?
Yes. The giant panda belongs to the bear family, so it is an ursine animal. The red panda, despite its name, is not a bear.
What is the adjective for bear?
Ursine is the formal adjective. In everyday English people also say bear-like or bearish, though bearish is mainly used in finance to mean expecting prices to fall.
Where does the word Arctic come from?
From Greek arktos, bear, through a word meaning northern, because the Bear constellation sits in the northern sky. Greek arktos and Latin ursus come from the same old root.