Fox  (f ŏks)
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n. pl. Fox or Fox·es 1. A member of a Native American people formerly inhabiting various parts of southern Michigan, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and eastern Iowa, with present-day populations in central Iowa and with the Sauk in Oklahoma. 2. The Algonquian language of the Fox.
[Translation of French Renards, foxes, perhaps translation of Fox wa·koše·haki, foxes (applied as a name to a clan with the totem of a fox).] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
fox  (f ŏks)
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n.1. pl. fox·es also fox a. Any of various carnivorous mammals of the family Canidae and especially of the genus Vulpes, found worldwide and characteristically having upright ears, a pointed snout, and a long bushy tail. b. The fur of one of these mammals. 2. A crafty, sly, or clever person. 3. Slang A sexually attractive person. 4. Nautical Small cordage made by twisting together two or more strands of tarred yarn. 5. Archaic A sword. v. foxed, fox·ing, fox·es v.tr.1. To trick or fool by ingenuity or cunning; outwit. 2. To baffle or confuse. 3. To make (beer) sour by fermenting. 4. To repair (a shoe) by attaching a new upper. 5. Obsolete To intoxicate. v.intr.1. To act slyly or craftily. 2. To turn sour in fermenting. Used of beer.
[Middle English, from Old English.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Fox, William Originally Wilhelm Fried. 1879-1952.
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Hungarian-born American motion-picture executive who founded his own film company (1915) and merged with 20th Century Pictures to form 20th Century Fox (1935). His company led in the development of sound movies. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Fox, Vicente Born 1942.
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Mexican businessman and politician who served as president (2000-2006). His election ended 71 years of uninterrupted rule by Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Fox, George1624-1691.
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English religious leader who founded the Society of Friends, or Quakers (1647-1648).  (click for a larger image) George Fox |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Fox, Charles James 1749-1806.
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British politician who supported American independence and the French Revolution. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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