leopard

American  

[lep-erd] / ˈlɛp ərd /

noun

• leopards
  plural

1. a large, spotted Asian or African carnivore, Panthera pardus, of the cat family, usually tawny with black markings; the Old World panther: all leopard populations are threatened or endangered.

2. the fur or pelt of this animal.

3. any of various related cats resembling this animal.

4. Heraldry. a lion represented from the side as walking, usually with one forepaw raised, and looking toward the spectator.

5. Numismatics.

   1. an Anglo-Gallic gold coin issued by Edward III, equal to half a florin, bearing the figure of a leopard.

   2. a silver Anglo-Gallic coin issued by Henry V.

6. Military. Leopard, a 42-ton (38-metric ton) West German tank with a 105 mm gun.

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leopard British  

/ ˈlɛpəd /

noun

1. Also called: panther.  a large feline mammal, Panthera pardus, of forests of Africa and Asia, usually having a tawny yellow coat with black rosette-like spots

2. any of several similar felines, such as the snow leopard and cheetah

3. a feline, Neofelis nebulosa, of SE Asia and Indonesia with a yellowish-brown coat marked with darker spots and blotches

4. heraldry a stylized leopard, painted as a lion with the face turned towards the front

5. the pelt of a leopard

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• leopardess
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• leopards
  plural

Etymology

Origin of leopard

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English leopard, labarde, lebarde, from Old French leopard, lebard, leupard, from Late Latin leōpardus, from Greek leópardos, syncopated variant of leontópardos, equivalent to leonto- (stem of léōn ) + párdos; see origin at lion, pard ¹

Explanation

A leopard is a large feline, a very distant relative of the sweet kitty purring on your lap. A member of the panther family, the leopard is extinct in some regions and considered vulnerable in others. Leopards look similar to jaguars; they both have distinctive rose-shaped markings that act as camouflage, though leopards are slightly smaller and lighter. In rare cases when a leopard's melanin makes it appear totally black, it's called a black panther. The name of this large cat comes from an ancient belief that it was half lion and half panther — the Greek root leopardos means "lion-panther."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leopard leopards

The squirrel escaped by climbing higher, leaving the leopard clinging on before it eventually made an awkward retreat.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Tom Baker, 27, who spotted the cat last month, likened it to a "small leopard" when he saw it from a distance.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Turtles and tortoises rarely develop the disease, but a white and yellow leopard gecko known in the pet trade as the "lemon frost" morph develops aggressive tumors in about 80% of individuals.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

The lemon frost morph originated from a spontaneous genetic mutation that appeared during selective breeding in a large colony of leopard geckos.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

Only a lion or a leopard could have done it.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Nawee Changpirom has spent years working to rescue trafficked wildlife in Thailand, but even he can sometimes hardly believe the creatures he has found: leopards, hornbills, and once an anteater.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

The cat haven has been operating for 28 years and houses 39 different cat species, including cheetahs, bobcats, clouded leopards, cougars and snow leopards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

For young leopards, survival is far from guaranteed: fewer than half reach independence, with male leopards, lions and other predators among the threats they face.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

It follows four rival families of lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs as they compete for dominance, with all the shifting alliances, betrayals and power struggles of a prestige drama.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Or maybe it lived in leopards or elephants.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• cheetah
• panther