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
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lions
plural
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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.
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any of various related large wildcats, as the cougar.
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a man of great strength, courage, etc.
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a person of great importance, influence, charm, etc., who is much admired as a celebrity.
a literary lion.
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the lion as the national emblem of Great Britain.
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Astronomy, Astrology. Leo, the constellation or sign of Leo.
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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.
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Numismatics.
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a silver, Anglo-Gallic denier, issued during the reign of Henry III, bearing the figure of a lion.
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a gold coin of Scotland, issued c1400–1589, bearing the figure of a lion.
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any of various other coins bearing the figure of a lion.
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British. an object of interest or note.
idioms
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twist the lion's tail, to tax the patience of or provoke a person, group, nation, or government, especially that of Great Britain.
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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
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a conventionalized lion, the principal beast used as an emblem in heraldry. It has become the national emblem of Great Britain
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a courageous, strong, or bellicose person
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a celebrity or idol who attracts much publicity and a large following
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to approach a feared or influential person, esp in order to ask a favour
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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:
This repeating pattern of intense feeding, extended rest, and rising activity closely matched the feast and fast rhythm documented among wild lion populations.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
Netanyahu praised Hayun, calling him a "great hero" and a "lion".
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
“Life is all about perspective. If you ask the grass, the zebra is the monster and the lion is the protector,” Price wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
The updated production by director Emma Griffin leaned into the story’s “Succession” undercurrents, with the not-quite-toothless old lion lashing out at those he sees as eager to supplant him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Tourists took pictures in front of the great big lion statues and on the steps.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
The service carries Disney classics like “The Lion King” and “Lilo & Stitch,” as well as movies from its other studios such as Marvel and Lucasfilm.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
“I want kids to like learning,” Lion says, and Bo and Mido agree.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Silva announced his passing in a statement describing the celebrated actor as "The Lion of Lufodo" and saying his life was "well lived and fought".
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
The second-place Silver Lion went to "Possible Love", a poignant relationship study by South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong, which was one of the most highly praised movies of the festival.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
“Not a very intelligent remark when Lion won two firsts at Crufts’ last February,” said Beatrice.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
It focuses on large animal conservation, and counts species including lions, meerkats, lemurs, African penguins and sea lions among its residents.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Scientists in Australia trained sea lions and seals to respond to a hearing test for research into how the marine mammals are affected by human-made noise.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Taronga Conservation Society Australia Behavioural Biologist Benjamin Pitcher said the research on sea lions and seals would have real world impact.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
The idea behind the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is to provide a lifeline for mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains, locked in by traffic and suffering from the effects of inbreeding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
As lions became deadlier, so gazelles evolved to run faster, hyenas to cooperate better, and rhinoceroses to be more bad-tempered.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
