Fox

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /fɒks/

Definitions

1. A small to medium-sized wild mammal with a pointed snout, bushy tail, and reddish-brown fur, known for its cunning nature
2. A small mammal belonging to the family Canidae, characterized by a bushy tail, pointed snout, and agility, often associated with cleverness in folklore
3. Known for its distinct bushy tail and pointed snout, this wild animal exhibits adaptability and intelligence, frequently depicted in various cultural tales

Etymology: The animal's name is one of the oldest in English, and its roots reach back to a word for "tail." Scholars have proposed that the fox was named for its bushy tail, and the Proto-Indo-European root *puḱ- ("tail") is the likely ancestor. Yet the link is not certain, and the word's older history is hard to pin down. Its relatives are striking, though: Dutch "vos," German "Fuchs," and Gothic "fauhō" all name the same animal, while Russian "пух" (pux) means "down" or "fluff," and Sanskrit "púccha" means "tail." The word has also been turned to other uses. In military slang, "fox" stood for the letter F in the pre-NATO spelling alphabet, where it was shorthand for "to fire," which gave rise to the aviation sense of the term. Its most famous figurative use came in 1953, when Isaiah Berlin published the essay "The Hedgehog and the Fox," which split thinkers into two camps: those who relate everything to one central vision, and those who pursue many ends at once. That essay turned a farmyard animal into a philosophical label.

Synonyms: vixen, sly one, cunning