plural beavers
Synonyms of beavernext
1
or plural beaver
a
: either of two large semiaquatic herbivorous rodents comprising a family (Castoridae including Castor canadensis of North America and C. fiber of Eurasia), having webbed hind feet and a broad flat scaly tail, and constructing dams and partially submerged lodges
b
: the fur or pelt of the beaver
2
a
: a hat made of beaver fur or a fabric imitation
b
3
: a heavy fabric of felted wool or of cotton napped on both sides
4
vulgar : the genitals of a female especially when covered with pubic hair

beaver

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a piece of armor protecting the lower part of the face
2
: a helmet visor

Illustration of beaver

Illustration of beaver
  • B beaver 1

beaver

3 of 3

verb

beavered; beavering; beavers

intransitive verb

: to work energetically
beavering away at the problem

Examples of beaver in a Sentence

Verb he's been beavering away at the various courses for his dinner party all day long, hoping to impress his new friends
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In fact, a Texas jury once found that an alligator mascot infringed the beaver, so nobody should assume a judge shares their sense of the ridiculous. Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 With an ecosystem as capricious as this, the local wildlife is born and bred to go with the flow—think gentle-but-giant humpback whales, colonies of industrious beavers, and torpedoing peregrine falcons, the fastest animals on Earth. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026 On July 26, a 13-year-old boy was bitten by a rabid beaver at Cunningham Falls State Park's William Houck area near the North Beach of the lake. Adam Thompson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 One euthanized beaver tested positive for rabies, officials said. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beaver

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bever, from Old English beofor; akin to Old High German bibar beaver, and probably to Old English brūn brown — more at brown

Noun (2)

Middle English baviere, from Middle French

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beaver was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beaver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beaver. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

beaver

1 of 2 noun
plural beaver or beavers
1
: a large plant-eating rodent that has webbed hind feet and a broad flat tail and that builds dams and houses of mud and branches which are partly underwater
2
: the fur of a beaver

beaver

2 of 2 noun
: a piece of armor protecting the lower part of the face

Geographical Definition

Beaver

geographical name

1
river 280 miles (451 kilometers) long in northwestern Oklahoma forming the upper course of the North Canadian River
2
river 305 miles (491 kilometers) long Canada in Alberta and Saskatchewan flowing east into the Churchill River

More from Merriam-Webster on beaver

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster