tiger-wolf, noun

Forms:
Also tyger-wolf.
Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more Translation of South African Dutch, from Dutch tijger tiger, leopard + wolf hyaena; see quotation 1810.
obs.
The hyaena Crocuta crocuta of the Hyaenidae, off-white with dark brown irregular spots, powerful forequarters, and a broad, massive head with dark brown or nearly black muzzle and rounded ears. See also wolf noun1.
1731 G. Medley tr. of P. Kolben’s Present State of Cape of G.H. II. 107With Regard to the Tiger-Wolf, Authors upon Animals are strangely divided and mistaken...My own Account of the Tiger-wolf is this. He is of the Size of an ordinary Sheep-dog, or somewhat Larger. His Head is broad, like that of an English Bull-Dog.
1786 G. Forster tr. of A. Sparrman’s Voy. to Cape of G.H. I. 158The tyger-wolf is a much more common beast of prey...This is that hitherto unknown animal, which Mr. Pennant..has briefly described and given a drawing of, by the name of the spotted hyena.
1795 C.R. Hopson tr. of C.P. Thunberg’s Trav. II. 57In the morning, we found that the cattle had been pursued by the tyger-wolf (Hyaena maculata).
1810 G. Barrington Acct of Voy. 272Of the latter (sc. the wolf) there are two kinds: the first is spotted, and on that account, called by the Colonists tiger-wolf: the other is the strand-wolf.
1827 G. Thompson Trav. 12We..seized our guns and ran to the rescue of the remaining horse, and found him beset in a corner of the thicket by a ferocious tiger-wolf (hyaena crocuta,) who was attempting to break in upon him.
1834 T. Pringle Afr. Sketches 267Of all the beasts of prey..that inhabit South Africa, the common spotted hyaena (Hyaena crocuta) called by the colonists the tiger-wolf, is the most voracious and destructive to flocks.
1846 H.H. Methuen Life in Wilderness 126There are two kinds of hyæna in South Africa — the spotted one, tiger-wolf of the colonists, is commonest and fiercest. [Note] Hyæna crocuta.
1861 P.B. Borcherds Auto-Biog. Mem. 83Soon after dark the report of a gun being heard, we found a tiger-wolf, or spotted hyena, had been killed.
1871 J. McKay Reminisc. 22There is the hyena (wolf of the colonists), of which there are different species, such as the aarde-wolf, the tiger-wolf, striped hyena, and the strand-wolf or maned jackal.
1900 W.L. Sclater Mammals of S. Afr. I. 87Hyaena crocuta. Vernacular Names: Tyger Wolf, or simply Wolf of the Colonists.
1915 W. Eveleigh S.W. Afr. 73Among the enemies of the stock farmer are several species of jackals; the powerful spotted hyena, H. crocuta, the Dutch tiger-wolf, [etc.].
[1920 F.C. Cornell Glamour of Prospecting 181Probably a hyena had taken it, for both the stronte wolf and the tijger wolf are common in these mountains.]
The hyaena Crocuta crocuta of the Hyaenidae, off-white with dark brown irregular spots, powerful forequarters, and a broad, massive head with dark brown or nearly black muzzle and rounded ears.
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obsolete or obsolescent
tiger snake, noun phrasen. phr.tin, nounn.
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