bearherd

English

Etymology

From bear +‎ herd, probably a variant of bearard, itself a variant of bearward, the second element being treated as herd (“keeper of a number of domestic animals assembled together”) as in shepherd.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛəhɜːd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛəɹˌhɜɹd/
• Hyphenation: bear‧herd

Noun

bearherd (plural bearherds)

1. (chiefly UK, archaic, historical) Synonym of bearward (“someone who handles and keeps bears (and sometimes other animals such as apes and bulls), especially for use in public entertainments such as baiting or dancing displays”)

Translations

synonym of bearward — see bearward

Further reading

• bear-leader on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “bearherd”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.