leopard

[lep-erd]

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noun

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.

the fur or pelt of this animal.

any of various related cats resembling this animal.

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

Numismatics.

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

(initial capital letter) Military. a 42-ton (38-metric ton) West German tank with a 105mm gun.

Origin of leopard

1250–1300; Middle English < Late Latin leōpardus < Greek leópardos, syncopated variant of leontópardos, equivalent to leonto- (stem of léōn) lion + párdos pard¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for leopard

panther, cheetah

Examples from the Web for leopard

Contemporary Examples of leopard

Their captors wore palm leaves, leopard skins, and magical relics to make themselves immune to bullets.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis
Nina Strochlic
November 23, 2014
A leopard seal is “about a thousand-pound animal with lots of teeth,” Perryman explains.
Soon We’ll Be Watching Whales By Drone
Abigail Golden
August 25, 2014
She sports a Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane leopard button-down, a black blazer, and red leather pants.
Jay Z and Beyoncé Go Vegan; 2013 Was the Year of the Hipster
The Fashion Beast Team
December 4, 2013
The Leopard By Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa The Leopard was the life work of a Sicilian aristocrat, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
Favorite Historical Novels
Stella Tillyard
November 9, 2011
Their collection features sparkling hotpants, midriff-baring tops, leopard prints, and combat boots.
Lourdes' Edgy New Look
Isabel Wilkinson
November 18, 2010

Historical Examples of leopard

In stature he was about five feet eleven inches, and was apparently as agile as a leopard.
Ridgeway
Scian Dubh
His speech was not eloquent, nor did it flatter the Leopard Woman, but it was to the point.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White
Reluctantly, apathetically, the Leopard Woman's men got to their feet.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White
The Leopard Woman, who had walked indomitably, now collapsed.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White
He stood supporting the half-fainting form of the Leopard Woman.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White

British Dictionary definitions for leopard

leopard

noun

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

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

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

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

the pelt of a leopard

Derived Formsleopardess, fem n

Word Origin for leopard

C13: from Old French lepart, from Late Latin leōpardus, from Late Greek leópardos, from leōn lion + pardos pard ² (the leopard was thought at one time to be the result of cross-breeding)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for leopard

late 13c., from Old French lebard, leupart (12c., Modern French léopard), from Late Latin leopardus, literally "lion-pard," from Greek leopardos, from leon "lion" + pardos "male panther," which generally is said to be connected to Sanskrit prdakuh "panther, tiger." The animal was thought in ancient times to be a hybrid of these two species.