lion
noun
a large, usually tawny-yellow cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa and southern Asia, having a tufted tail and, in the male, a large mane.
lion
American
[lahy-uhn]
/ ˈlaɪ ən /
noun
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lions
plural
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a large, usually tawny-yellow cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa and southern Asia, having a tufted tail and, in the male, a large mane.
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any of various related large wildcats, as the cougar.
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a man of great strength, courage, etc.
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a person of great importance, influence, charm, etc., who is much admired as a celebrity.
a literary lion.
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the lion as the national emblem of Great Britain.
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Astronomy, Astrology. Leo, the constellation or sign of Leo.
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Leo, a member of any one of the internationally affiliated service clubs International Association of Lions Clubs founded in 1917 and dedicated to promoting responsible citizenship, sound government, and community, national, and international welfare.
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Numismatics.
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a silver, Anglo-Gallic denier, issued during the reign of Henry III, bearing the figure of a lion.
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a gold coin of Scotland, issued c1400–1589, bearing the figure of a lion.
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any of various other coins bearing the figure of a lion.
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British. an object of interest or note.
idioms
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twist the lion's tail, to tax the patience of or provoke a person, group, nation, or government, especially that of Great Britain.
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beard the lion in its den, to confront or attack someone, especially a powerful or feared person, in that person's own familiar surroundings.
lion
1
British
/ ˈlaɪən /
noun
-
a large gregarious predatory feline mammal, Panthera leo, of open country in parts of Africa and India, having a tawny yellow coat and, in the male, a shaggy mane
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a conventionalized lion, the principal beast used as an emblem in heraldry. It has become the national emblem of Great Britain
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a courageous, strong, or bellicose person
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a celebrity or idol who attracts much publicity and a large following
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to approach a feared or influential person, esp in order to ask a favour
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the largest portion
Lion
2
British
/ ˈlaɪən /
noun
lion
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of lion
First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Old French, variant of leon, from Latin leōn- (stem of leō ), from Greek léōn; replacing Middle English, Old English lēo, from Latin, as above
Explanation
A lion is a distant relative of your adorable pet kitten: a large, wild cat found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Male lions have thick, golden-colored manes around their necks. While the male lion is arguably more striking than the female, it's the females who do nearly all the hunting for a group, or pride, of lions. Tigers are actually larger than lions, making "the king of the beasts" the second-largest wild cat. Because of their strength and power, images of lions are often used as symbols on flags and coats of arms. It's also common to call a strong, courageous person a lion.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A 1990 Denver Business Journal profile noted she had killed a rhinoceros, a lion and a leopard in the preceding year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The Wildlife Trusts, external said the lion's mane jellyfish gets its name from its long tentacles, and have "all the beauty and bite of a lion".
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Gainde means "lion" in the local Wolof language.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Marine Mammal Care Center volunteers clean a pen while a sea lion watches closely at the hospital 3.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The creature had the hind legs of a lion cub and the wings and forelegs of an eagle, white-feathered and tufty.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
“I want kids to like learning,” Lion says, and Bo and Mido agree.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
"Company" is in the running for the Golden Lion best film prize at the Venice Film Festival which will be handed out on Saturday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
“The Wizard of Oz’s” original Cowardly Lion costume stands alone in the center of a room allowing intimate inspection of its whiskers, ringlets and fur.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Rockhopper, which owns a partial stake in the Sea Lion project, has also not yet commented on Milei's statement.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
"But of course," he thought, "I was quite safe. That is why the Lion kept on my left. He was between me and the edge all the time."
From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis
In the Ice Age, humans competed with cave lions and bears over everything from food to sleeping space.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
The 29,000-acre expanse of savannah and woodlands sits on the city’s edge, near two airports, yet it is home to lions, zebras and Maasai giraffes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
BFA-related compounds in urine and renal lipid droplets were detected in several felid species, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, lynxes, and the Iriomote cat.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
The name blunder earlier this week was part of the Cheshire zoo's ticket promotion to allow visitors to go on a tour showcasing its Sumatran tigers, lions, rhinos and Komodo dragons.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
So tall and big, actually, that two lions once talked about him joining the football team.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
