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View synonyms for lion

lion

[ lahy-uhn ]

noun

  1. 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.
  2. any of various related large wildcats, as the cougar.
  3. a man of great strength, courage, etc.
  4. a person of great importance, influence, charm, etc., who is much admired as a celebrity:

    a literary lion.

  5. the lion as the national emblem of Great Britain.
  6. Leo, Astronomy, Astrology. the constellation or sign of Leo.
  7. 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.
  8. Numismatics.
    1. a silver, Anglo-Gallic denier, issued during the reign of Henry III, bearing the figure of a lion.
    2. a gold coin of Scotland, issued c1400–1589, bearing the figure of a lion.
    3. any of various other coins bearing the figure of a lion.
  9. British. an object of interest or note.


Lion

1

/ ˈlaɪən /

noun

  1. the Lion
    the constellation Leo, the fifth sign of the zodiac
“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


lion

2

/ ˈlaɪən /

noun

  1. 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 leonine
  2. a conventionalized lion, the principal beast used as an emblem in heraldry. It has become the national emblem of Great Britain
  3. a courageous, strong, or bellicose person
  4. a celebrity or idol who attracts much publicity and a large following
  5. beard the lion in his den
    to approach a feared or influential person, esp in order to ask a favour
  6. the lion's share
    the largest portion
“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
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Other Words From

  • lion·esque adjective
  • lion·like lion·ly adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lion1

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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lion1

Old English līo, lēo (Middle English lioun, from Anglo-French liun ), both from Latin leo, Greek leōn
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. beard the lion in its den, to confront or attack someone, especially a powerful or feared person, in that person's own familiar surroundings.
  2. twist the lion's tail, to tax the patience of or provoke a person, group, nation, or government, especially that of Great Britain.

More idioms and phrases containing lion

In addition to the idiom beginning with lion , also see beard the lion ; throw to the wolves (lions) .
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Example Sentences

The trip starts in Nairobi National Park, where rhinos, giraffes, and lions wander wide-open grass plains.

Robin and his friends long for a world where they are invited into mainstream society, while still getting to be their super cool selves, which they get when King Richard returns at the end of the film and he’s not just a lion but a True Ally.

From Vox

He used it as a way to answer a question on if lions have any difficulty breeding in captivity or the wild.

Biologists have documented infanticide in numerous species, including lions and many nonhuman primates such as langur monkeys and chimpanzees.

You might also become hyper-vigilant about potential dangers — like the proverbial man-eating lion lurking in the tall grass of our ancestors’ savannah.

Indeed, Lion Air, with 45 percent of the domestic Indonesian airline market, has swallowed the Fernandes formula whole.

There is a larger reason, beyond the airlines themselves, why Lion Air and 61 other Indonesian airlines are on this black list.

Two Indonesian airlines, Garuda and Lion Air, have seen Fernandes eat their lunch and are only now responding.

The Lion Air captain had left his rookie copilot to make the landing until he realized he was in trouble.

The airplane was owned by an Indonesian budget carrier, Lion Air.

Thereafter he ran away from school twice, having been seized with a romantic and irresistible desire to see and shoot a lion!

The strength of the lion is tremendous, owing to the immense mass of muscle around its jaws, shoulders, and forearms.

The calf and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall rest together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Up to this period he had not been successful in accomplishing his great wish—the shooting of a lion.

When a hungry lion is watching for prey, the sight of any animal will make him commence stalking it.

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Related Words

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.

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