Definition

Noun: * A species of hare: A large hare native to North America, known for its notably large feet and for molting its brown summer fur to become white in winter as camouflage. Its scientific name is Lepus americanus, and it is also commonly called the snowshoe hare.

Usage Notes

• The term "varying hare" is a common name that directly describes the animal's most distinctive characteristic: its varying coat color with the seasons.
• It is a compound noun. The word "varying" functions as an adjective modifying the noun "hare."
• This term is used in zoology, wildlife contexts, and general descriptive language about North American animals.

Examples

• The varying hare is a crucial prey species for lynxes and other northern predators.
• We spotted a varying hare in its white winter phase against the snow.
• The population cycles of the varying hare are a classic subject of ecological study.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe something that changes its appearance or nature according to circumstances, though this is a less common literary usage.
  • His political allegiances were like those of a varying hare, shifting color with the political season.

Variants and Related Words

• Snowshoe hare: The more frequently used common name for the same animal (), referring to its large, snowshoe-like hind feet.
• Lepus americanus: The scientific (Latin) binomial name for the species.

Synonyms

• Snowshoe hare
• Snowshoe rabbit (Note: While commonly called a rabbit, it is biologically a hare.)

Related Phrases/Idioms

• (To) change like a varying hare: A descriptive phrase (not a fixed idiom) that could be coined to mean to change one's appearance or stance frequently.
  • The company's marketing strategy changes like a varying hare, never staying the same for long.

Noun

1. large large-footed North American hare; white in winter