A large brown bear (Ursus arctos) found in North America, characterized by grizzled gray-tipped fur. Also used as an adjective meaning gray or streaked with gray.
From 'grizzled,' meaning gray or streaked with gray hair, from Old French 'grisel' (grayish). The bear got this name from early American explorers who noticed the gray-tipped guard hairs that give its fur a distinctive appearance. First recorded in reference to bears in the early 1800s.
Grizzly bears can run up to 35 mph despite weighing up to 800 pounds, making them faster than any human and most horses. Their name comes from their 'grizzled' appearance, but ironically, not all grizzly bears look grizzled - their fur can range from blonde to nearly black depending on diet and habitat.
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