wolverine

noun

wol·​ver·​ine ˌwu̇l-və-ˈrēn 

plural wolverines

1

plural also wolverine

a

: a carnivorous usually solitary mammal (Gulo gulo) of the weasel family of northern forests and associated tundra that is dark brown with a light brown band on each side of the body and is noted for its strength

b

: the fur of the wolverine

2

Wolverine : a native or resident of Michigan

—used as a nickname

Illustration of wolverine

• wolverine 1a

Examples of wolverine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Vander Zee, who led the Hawkeyes in receptions against Michigan in Week 4, caught a 16-yard pass from quarterback Hank Brown to hand the Hawkeyes a stunning 20-19 win on the road against the Wolverines. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

McCarthy, 23, led Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines to a national championship in 2023 but had fallen out of favor in Minnesota despite playing for head coach Kevin O’Connell, who has a strong reputation as quarterback coach. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

His grandfathers are former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and Tom Curtis, an All-America defensive back for the Wolverines, and his brother is Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

Instead, the past week has been spent relitigating the final nanoseconds of the Wolverines’ 13-12 victory against Western Michigan. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably irregular from wolv- (as in wolves)

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for wolverine

• acridine
• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene

Kids Definition

wolverine

noun

wol·​ver·​ine ˌwu̇l-və-ˈrēn 

plural wolverines also wolverine

: a mostly dark brown mammal with shaggy fur that is related to the weasels, martens, and sables, eats flesh, and is found chiefly in northern forests