What does wolfing mean?
Wolfing most commonly means hunting wolves, especially as a recreational or traditional activity. In sentences such as “The party went wolfing after dawn,” it refers to tracking and pursuing wolves for sport rather than attacking an animal as a wolf would. The word can also occur as the present participle of the verb “wolf,” as in “wolfing down a hurried meal,” meaning eating greedily or voraciously. An older, chiefly British noun sense denotes a wolfskin or wolf pelt, although “wolfskin” is now the clearer term in general use. Wolfing is not the standard everyday expression for hunting an individual wolf; “wolf hunting” is usually more explicit and idiomatic. The word nevertheless has a vivid, historical flavor, evoking frontier traditions, cold northern landscapes, and the distinctive practices of wolf hunters. It is useful because it compresses an entire activity into one participial word while retaining the central image of the animal that gives the activity its name.
To hunt wolves. As the present participle of “wolf,” it can also mean eating greedily or voraciously, especially in the expression “wolfing down.”
"They crossed the ridge at first light, wolfing after the elusive pack."
The hunting sense is chiefly associated with traditional or recreational wolf hunting. The eating sense is informal and normally appears with “down.”
The activity or sport of hunting wolves. In older usage, it can also mean a wolfskin or wolf pelt.
"His grandfather told stories of wolfing in the high country during winter."
The wolfskin sense is dated. “Wolfskin” is normally used instead today.
The plural is uncommon; “wolfskins” is the usual modern plural when referring to hides.
"The museum displayed several old wolfings beside trapping equipment."
From hunting wolves to wolfing down lunch, one word moves neatly from the frontier to the mess hall.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wolfing come from?
English “wolf” descends from Old English “wulf,” inherited from Proto-Germanic *wulfaz. “Wolfing” was formed from this root in the sense of hunting wolves and, in its older noun use, a wolfskin. Latin “lupus,” the source of English “lupus” and “lupine,” is a cognate inherited from the same Indo-European root for “wolf.”
How wolfing is actually used
The hunting sense is associated especially with North American wolf-hunting traditions and can sound historical or recreational. The older sense meaning “wolfskin” is dated, with “wolfskin” now preferred. “Wolfing down” is informal and denotes eating quickly and voraciously.