a large, carnivorous, tawny-colored and black-striped feline, Panthera tigris, of Asia, ranging in several subspecies from India and the Malay Peninsula to Siberia: the entire species is endangered, with some subspecies thought to be extinct.
the cougar, jaguar, thylacine, or other animal resembling the tiger.
a person resembling a tiger in fierceness, courage, etc.
a country that is considered to have a tiger economy.
Taiwan is one of the four Asian tigers.
an additional cheer (often the wordtiger ) at the end of a round of cheering.
any of several strong, voracious fishes, as a sand shark.
any of numerous animals with stripes similar to a tiger's.
a large feline mammal, Panthera tigris, of forests in most of Asia, having a tawny yellow coat with black stripes
(not in technical use) any of various other animals, such as the jaguar, leopard, and thylacine
a dynamic, forceful, or cruel person
a country, esp in E Asia, that is achieving rapid economic growth
( as modifier )
a tiger economy
archaic a servant in livery, esp a page or groom
short for tiger moth
slang a ten-rand note
informal to find oneself in a situation that has turned out to be much more difficult to control than one had expected
before 1000; Middle English tigre, Old English tīgras (plural) < Latin tīgris, tigris < Greek tígris
You can think of a tiger as your sweet pet cat's distant cousin. Easily recognizable because of its distinctive dark stripes and orange fur, the tiger is the largest of all the cats. Some subspecies of tiger can weigh as much as 600 pounds. Because they are such fierce predators, tigers and humans have often clashed throughout history, resulting in the tiger's current classification as an endangered species. A person who's especially ambitious or fierce might also be called a tiger. The word may share a root with the Old Persian tigra-, "sharp."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The lawyers point to the use of cartoon animals by convenience stores since at least the 1930s: Sinclair Oil has a dinosaur, Stinker Stores a skunk, Esso a tiger and Wawa a goose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Locals were also sceptical of claims in a recent study that tiger reintroduction will bring economic benefits from tourism.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
"The tiger diplomacy of the last 10 years to dump tigers from India into that rampant hunting culture is doomed, I believe," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The same year, the spectacular fall of the South East Asian "tiger economies" tested him again.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Unlike Elizebeth’s other fans, Andresen offered her an unusual prize: a tiger skin.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
This was my first win in three years, and the first person that texted me was Tiger Woods.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
He built his Trout National golf resort, with a course designed by Tiger Woods, in Millville.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
The 49-year-old lives with her daughter in an open-front wooden home metres from a dilapidated sign reading "Tiger Reintroduction Project".
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Susquehanna has filed a lawsuit seeking to unmask the traders who bet on a drop in Futu and Tiger Brokers stock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
I think going to his art show with a poster that reads Eye of the Tiger, Sean might be a good place to start.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
The park said young tigers typically remained with their mothers for up to three years but her relocation at the age of two "reflects that natural transition, while supporting wider conservation efforts across Europe".
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
There are few homes immediately around the proposed release site, but villages, roads and dams all fall within the broader area tigers might one day roam.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
So a plan is needed to track and potentially intercept tigers, said Axel Moehrenschlager, conservation translocation director for wild cat protection organisation Panthera.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The zoo, which is based at the family-run farm in Old Hurst near Huntingdon, has more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers and meerkats.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
The map was like this birds tigers gibbons 10 The dhole is the Indian wild dog and it looks like a fox.
From "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon
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.
