hyène

From Latin hyaena, from Ancient Greek ὕαινα (húaina).

• ^{(aspirated or mute h)} IPA^(key): /jɛn/

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• Homophone: yen
• Rhymes: -ɛn

hyène f (plural hyènes)

1. hyena (animal)

The mute pronunciation is older and historically prescribed (e.g. by Littré and l'Académie Française); however, the aspirated pronunciation, already in use in the 19th century, is markedly more common today.

• “hyène”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.