lair

¹ American  

[lair] / lɛər /

noun

1. a den or resting place of a wild animal.

   The cougar retired to its lair.

2. a secluded or hidden place, especially a secret retreat or base of operations; a hideout or hideaway.

   a pirate's lair.

3. British. a place in which to lie or rest; a bed.

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verb (used with object)

1. to place in a lair.

2. to serve as a lair for.

verb (used without object)

1. to go to, lie in, or have a lair.

lair ² American  

[lair] / lɛər /

noun

1. British Dialect. mud; mire.

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verb (used without object)

1. Scot. to sink or stick in mud or mire.

lair ³ American  

[lair] / lɛər /

noun

Chiefly Scot.

1. lore; learning.

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lair ⁴ American  

[lair] / lɛər /

noun

Australian Informal.

1. a man who dresses garishly and is crude or vulgar; show-off.

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lair ¹ British  

/ lɛə /

noun

1. the resting place of a wild animal

2. informal a place of seclusion or hiding

3. an enclosure or shed for farm animals

4. the ground for a grave in a cemetery

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verb

1. (intr) (esp of a wild animal) to retreat to or rest in a lair

2. (tr) to drive or place (an animal) in a lair

lair ² British  

/ lɛə /

noun

1. a flashy man who shows off

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verb

1. (intr; foll by up or around) to behave or dress like a lair

lair ³ British  

/ ler /

noun

1. a Scot word for mire

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Etymology

Origin of lair¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English leir(e), lair, lare, Old English leger; cognate with Dutch, Old High German leger “bed, camp,” Afrkaans laager “defensive circle of wagons,” German Lager “storehouse”; akin to lie ²

Origin of lair²

First recorded in 1300–50; verb use of Middle English lair “clay, mire,” from Old Norse leir ”clay, mud”

Origin of lair³

Middle English lōre, laire (north and Scots lare, lere ), Old English lār “teaching, instruction”; see origin at lore ¹

Origin of lair⁴

First recorded in 1930–35; back formation from lairy

Explanation

A lair is a wild animal's den. If you ever find yourself in a forest and face to face with a bear trying to lure you into his lair, beware! He may be plotting to eat you. The noun lair has its roots in the Old English leger, meaning "bed; place where one lies down." It eventually became the word for an animal's den in the early 15th century. A person can have a lair, too. An evil genius might have a lair where he plots his next crime, for example, while a less scary person might have a cozy lair lined with plush carpet and shelves of books.

Example Sentences

“It demonstrates the fragility of some of these kind of higher tier radars,” said Lair, who published an analysis of the satellite image.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

According to former curator of Alabama's Music Hall of Fame, George Lair, the Muscle Shoals sound was a product of geography.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2024

In the Rainbow’s upstairs bar, a plaque pays tribute to “The Lair of the Hollywood Vampires,” a mid-’70s group of rock-star hellraisers that included Alice Cooper and the Who’s Keith Moon.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2023

Confronted by Mulrenin with those statements, Lair said she was angry that Rayford and Glass wouldn’t tell her the names of the actual shooters.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2023

He did not speak its name: Torech Ungol, Shelob’s Lair.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Related Words

• hideaway