A beast held in reverence by some oriental nations from its habit of frequenting at night the burial-places of the dead. But the medical student does that.
Any carnivorous mammal of the family Hyænidæ, doglike nocturnal mammals of Africa and southern Asia, of which three living species are known. They are large and strong, but cowardly. They feed chiefly on carrion, and are nocturnal in their habits.
doglike nocturnal mammal of Africa and southern Asia that feeds chiefly on carrion
Hyenas or Hyaenas are moderately large terrestrial carnivores native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. They are members of the family Hyaenidae. They are known for a chirping, birdlike bark that resembles the sound of hysterical human laughter.
Hyena is a fictional character and an Amalgam Comics supervillain, primarily the arch-nemesis of Dark Claw. He is a combination of DC Comics' Joker and Marvel Comics' Sabretooth. The name is derived in that the Hyena is a similar ravenous beast as a Sabretooth tiger, and that it laughs, the Joker's credo.
Hyena is the name of at least two villains in DC Comics, one male and one female, primarily, the foes of Firestorm. Both were were-hyenas who had problems with authority and resented Firestorm for interfering in their vendettas. The unique feature of the Hyenas was that they turned into their were-hyena forms whenever they were under great emotional stress, not only when there was a full moon.