lion's share

American  

noun

1. the largest part or share, especially a disproportionate portion.

   The eldest son received the lion's share of the estate.

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lion's share Cultural  

1. A disproportionately large segment of the whole: “Though we always divided our winnings, somehow Barton always seemed to end up with the lion's share.”

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lion's share Idioms  

1. The greater part or most of something, as in Whenever they won a doubles match, Ethel claimed the lion's share of the credit, or As usual, Uncle Bob took the lion's share of the cake. This expression alludes to Aesop's fable about a lion, who got all of a kill because its fellow hunters, an ass, fox, and wolf, were afraid to claim their share. [Late 1700s]

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Etymology

Origin of lion's share

First recorded in 1780–90; probably after Aesop's fable in which the lion claimed all the spoils of a hunt

Example Sentences

Oaks Christian 9, Newbury Park 2: James Latshaw struck out five in 5 2/3 innings to help the Lions share the Marmonte League championship with Westlake.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025

The Lions share a quandary with Seattle, in that both need help to seize a playoff spot that few saw in the realm of possibility when the season started.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 2, 2023