Large carnivorous mammals from Africa and Asia that look somewhat like dogs and are known for their powerful jaws and distinctive laughing call.
From Greek 'hyaina,' possibly derived from 'hys' meaning pig, since ancient Greeks may have thought the animal resembled a pig. The word came to English through Latin.
Hyenas have an unfair reputation as cowardly scavengers, but they're actually skilled hunters—this bad reputation likely comes from their unsettling laugh and their association with eating corpses in ancient stories!
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