lion
noun
a large, usually tawny-yellow cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa and southern Asia, having a tufted tail and, in the male, a large mane.
lion
American
[lahy-uhn]
/ ˈlaɪ ən /
noun
-
lions
plural
-
a large, usually tawny-yellow cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa and southern Asia, having a tufted tail and, in the male, a large mane.
-
any of various related large wildcats, as the cougar.
-
a man of great strength, courage, etc.
-
a person of great importance, influence, charm, etc., who is much admired as a celebrity.
a literary lion.
-
the lion as the national emblem of Great Britain.
-
Astronomy, Astrology. Leo, the constellation or sign of Leo.
-
Leo, a member of any one of the internationally affiliated service clubs International Association of Lions Clubs founded in 1917 and dedicated to promoting responsible citizenship, sound government, and community, national, and international welfare.
-
Numismatics.
-
a silver, Anglo-Gallic denier, issued during the reign of Henry III, bearing the figure of a lion.
-
a gold coin of Scotland, issued c1400–1589, bearing the figure of a lion.
-
any of various other coins bearing the figure of a lion.
-
-
British. an object of interest or note.
idioms
-
twist the lion's tail, to tax the patience of or provoke a person, group, nation, or government, especially that of Great Britain.
-
beard the lion in its den, to confront or attack someone, especially a powerful or feared person, in that person's own familiar surroundings.
lion
1
British
/ ˈlaɪən /
noun
-
a large gregarious predatory feline mammal, Panthera leo, of open country in parts of Africa and India, having a tawny yellow coat and, in the male, a shaggy mane
-
a conventionalized lion, the principal beast used as an emblem in heraldry. It has become the national emblem of Great Britain
-
a courageous, strong, or bellicose person
-
a celebrity or idol who attracts much publicity and a large following
-
to approach a feared or influential person, esp in order to ask a favour
-
the largest portion
Lion
2
British
/ ˈlaɪən /
noun
lion
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of lion
First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Old French, variant of leon, from Latin leōn- (stem of leō ), from Greek léōn; replacing Middle English, Old English lēo, from Latin, as above
Explanation
A lion is a distant relative of your adorable pet kitten: a large, wild cat found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Male lions have thick, golden-colored manes around their necks. While the male lion is arguably more striking than the female, it's the females who do nearly all the hunting for a group, or pride, of lions. Tigers are actually larger than lions, making "the king of the beasts" the second-largest wild cat. Because of their strength and power, images of lions are often used as symbols on flags and coats of arms. It's also common to call a strong, courageous person a lion.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Abandoned by his mother, mountain lion cub Crimson was rescued earlier this year by wildlife officials and transferred to the Los Angeles Zoo with hopes for his full recovery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Its velvet binding has metal corner guards bearing her crowned falcon with a lion rampant, dragon and greyhound, and Anne’s motifs recur in the illuminations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
The resulting series is a very grand, real-life chronicle of a lion cub named Kio and how he becomes a king.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The Hubble Space Telescope previously observed the nebula in 2000, imaging the lion face-shaped target in visible light.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
Another shadow poured out of him, taking the shape of a lion.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
It is safe to buy and eat eggs that have a British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain egg assurance scheme, experts advise.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
It warned Russia not to tangle with the British Lion and expressed imperial Britain’s self-confidence at the height of its power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
He just got a golden retriever puppy named Nala, the wife of Simba from “The Lion King.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
This triggered an automated safety system which repeatedly pushed the nose of the plane down - something that was also recorded during the fatal Lion Air flight.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
“Not a very intelligent remark when Lion won two firsts at Crufts’ last February,” said Beatrice.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Blumenfield said there is “a plethora of information including ecological and biological reports, insights from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and years of evidence from neighbors” that the golf course is habitat for mountain lions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
The crowd chanted his name and dozens laid flowers at the feet of the lions at the base of Nelson’s Column.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Earlier research modeled what would happen to deer-vehicle collisions if mountain lions recolonized the eastern United States, where they once roamed before hunting and habitat destruction left them largely confined to the West.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
The three lions died within a week at the Tama Zoological Park in western Tokyo.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Even when the king of the sea lions barked at her to come and fish or snuggle down at night with her sea lion family, Selkie stayed close to Nim.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
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.
