lioness

American  

[lahy-uh-nis] / ˈlaɪ ə nɪs /

noun

1. a female lion.

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lioness British  

/ ˈlaɪənɪs /

noun

1. a female lion

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Etymology

Origin of lioness

1250–1300; Middle English liones, leonesse < Middle French lion ( n ) esse. See lion, -ess

Example Sentences

“For me, my wife is an absolute lioness.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Schaller spent three years studying lions in Africa, once crawling through thorny thickets to count cubs a lioness had hidden there.

From The Wall Street Journal

A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected canine tooth caused by an abscess.

From BBC

But Taka’s father, a king who prioritizes royal lineage, isn’t pleased, referring to Mufasa as the “stray” and forcing him to be raised by the lionesses.

From Los Angeles Times

In Farsi, this term honors women who are strong, who stand up for their rights and who are trailblazers—courageous, brave and resilient, much like a lioness.

From Salon

Related Words

• cat
• cougar
• wildcat