coyote Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun small wolf native to western North America
    prairie wolf; Canis latrans; brush wolf.
  2. noun someone who smuggles illegal immigrants into the United States (usually across the Mexican border)
  3. noun a forest fire fighter who is sent to battle remote and severe forest fires (often for days at a time)

WordNet

Coy"o*te noun
Etymology
Spanish Amer., fr. Mexican coyotl.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A carnivorous animal (Canis latrans), allied to the dog, found in the western part of North America; -- called also prairie wolf. Its voice is a snapping bark, followed by a prolonged, shrill howl.

Webster 1913