lioness

[lahy-uh-nis]

noun

1. a female lion.

lioness

/ ˈlaɪənɪs /

noun

1. a female lion

Word History and Origins

Origin of lioness¹

1250–1300; Middle English liones, leonesse < Middle French lion ( n ) esse. See lion, -ess

Example Sentences

Mr. Schaller spent three years studying lions in Africa, once crawling through thorny thickets to count cubs a lioness had hidden there.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected canine tooth caused by an abscess.

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But Taka’s father, a king who prioritizes royal lineage, isn’t pleased, referring to Mufasa as the “stray” and forcing him to be raised by the lionesses.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In Farsi, this term honors women who are strong, who stand up for their rights and who are trailblazers—courageous, brave and resilient, much like a lioness.

Read more on Salon

A lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has taken her first steps outside at a sanctuary in Kent.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• cat 
• cougar 
• wildcat