What does "fennec" mean?

A small fox of the species Vulpes zerda, found in the Sahara (excluding the coast) and having distinctive oversized ears.

What is a synonym for "fennec"?

Common synonyms include: desert fox, fen, fennec fox, fennec fox.

Fennec

//ˈfɛnɪk// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
A small fox of the species Vulpes zerda, found in the Sahara (excluding the coast) and having distinctive oversized ears.

Synonyms

All synonyms

desert fox fen fennec fox fennec fox

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Mongolic *hüne- Proto-Mongolic *-gan Proto-Mongolic *hünegender. Persian فنکbor. Arabic فَنَك (fanak)der. French fennecbor. English fennec Borrowed from French fennec, from Arabic فَنَك (fanak).

Related phrases

vulpes zerda

More for "fennec"

Synonyms Sentences Pronunciation Translate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation Browse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.