cub

Definition

1. a young bear, lion, fox, wolf, or other wild animal
2. a young boy who is a member of the Cubs

Origin and usage

The origin of the word cub is obscure. It may come from the Old Irish word ‘cuib’ or from an Old Norse word ‘kobbi’ meaning ‘seal’. Its origin in English is from the 1520s, spelled ‘cubbe’ and meaning ‘young fox’. By the 1590s, the meaning of cub was extended to include other young animals, such as lions and bears. The scouting group was established in the early 20th century.

Examples

Cub refers to a baby animal, usually a bear, fox, lion, or wolf. Another kind of cub currently enjoying a surge in popularity is the giant panda cub on display at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.

The baby panda, born in June 2017, has been visited by a limited number of zoo guests since it was first added to the giant panda exhibit in December. At that time, zoo officials restricted access to the cub; only 2,000 visitors were permitted to view the giant panda habitat, determined by a daily lottery system.

The recently expanded permissions now allow zoo guests to visit the panda cub on a first-come, first-served basis and officials have added two and a half hours to the panda’s display period. Up to 9,500 visitors will now be allowed to see the panda cub and its parents. The giant panda exhibit at Ueno Zoo also includes an outdoor play area that has been made public for the first time, where curious visitors can watch the cub play, climb trees, and interact with its mother.

On the first day of the expanded visiting hours, approximately 1,200 people began lining up outside the gates around 3am. Tickets weren’t distributed until 9.30am.

Quotations

“I’m a lioness. I have four cubs. I’m a mom. I want to take care of my kids and protect them.”
(Heidi Klum)
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.