pack animal

noun

: an animal used for carrying packs

Examples of pack animal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s something distinctly out-of-control about having an unpredictable pack animal in your home, not to mention one that tracks in all kinds of allergens and minuscule crawly things. Jim Cosgrove, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 Unlike dogs, house cats are not descended from pack animals, so these cats aren’t generally considered innately social. Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 14 Dec. 2023 The vibration of the simulated heartbeat—which can be turned on and off—helps ease their loneliness (dogs are pack animals). Jennifer Tzeses, wsj.com, 17 Oct. 2023 Modeling them as pack animals might change the apparent scavenging success rates of our own ancestors when in competition with the canids. Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Sep. 2023 Felt was also used to make warm, weatherproof clothing and footwear, and blankets for pack animals. Susan Brown, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 The resulting pack animals measured 61 inches, or 15 hands, from the ground to the withers. Franz Lidz Samuel Aranda, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2023 The dogs surpassed all expectations, traveling faster than any pack animal could in the wintry terrain. David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2023 Of course, regular racetrackers found nothing unusual about this happening to a pack animal. John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pack animal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pack animal was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near pack animal

Cite this Entry

“Pack animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack%20animal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pack animal

noun
: an animal (as a horse or donkey) used for carrying packs
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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