papa bear
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A man, especially a father, who is extremely protective of a child or children.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Her husband, James, worked in the mills of U.S. Sugar. Once the cane season was finished, he followed harvests as a packinghouse foreman. He was a papa bear in the wide eyes of his children, strong arms and a round belly, a man whose talents over a kitchen stove braising oxtails and simmering stews
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “papa bear” mean?
A man, especially a father, who is extremely protective of a child or children.
Is “papa bear” formal or informal?
papa bear is generally slang.