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Definition of sloth bear
sloth bear
Plural:sloth bears
sloth bear Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A medium-sized, primarily insectivorous bear native to the Indian subcontinent, characterized by a shaggy black coat, a distinct pale U- or Y-shaped chest mark, a long snout, and specially adapted protrusible lips used for sucking up termites and ants.
Example
"During our wildlife safari in a central Indian national park, we were incredibly lucky to spot a sloth bear aggressively digging into a large termite mound."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 18th century. The English zoologist George Shaw initially classified the animal as a bear-like sloth ('ursine bradypus') due to its long claws and unusual dentition. It was later reclassified as a true bear, reversing the descriptor to 'sloth bear'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sloth bear. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sloth bear