panther
noun
the cougar or puma, Felis concolor.
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panther
1 American
[pan-ther]
/ ˈpæn θər /
noun
panthers,
plural
panther
plural
-
the cougar or puma, Felis concolor.
-
the leopard, Panthera pardus.
-
any leopard in the black color phase.
-
a very fierce person.
-
Military. Panther, a 43-ton (39-metric ton) German tank of World War II with a 75 mm gun as its main armament.
adjective
Panther
2
American
[pan-ther]
/ ˈpæn θər /
noun
panther
British
/ ˈpænθə /
noun
-
another name for the leopard, esp the black variety, which is known as the black panther
-
any of various related animals, esp the puma
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of panther1
First recorded before 1000; from Latin panthēra, from Greek pánthēr; replacing Middle English pantere (from Old French, from Latin ) and Old English pandher (from Latin )
Origin of Panther2
First recorded in 1965–70
Explanation
A panther is a large, black leopard. Panthers are related to the kitty purring in your lap, but they're ten times bigger. When most people think of a panther, they picture a black panther, which is really a leopard with an all-black coat. Strictly speaking, a panther can also be a puma, which is a brown cat that's similar in size to a jaguar. Panther is a Greek word meaning "leopard," and it became commonly (and confusingly) applied to both pumas and cougars in the 18th century.
Vocabulary lists containing panther
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:
For decades, the company has been recognized for its mascot, a pink panther that matches the color of its signature bright pink fiberglass insulation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
The bathrooms are decorated with faux marble, and the image of a black panther with a yellow eye fixed on customers as they freshen up.
From Barron's ● Dec. 22, 2025
Chronic wasting disease is caused by a misfolded protein known as a prion and can be transmitted through predator and prey interaction, such as a panther eating a deer that has the disease.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 21, 2024
Three lions and a panther were also reported to have died of the virus alongside 47 tigers since August.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2024
It would move as a caged panther might: because it was awake, out of boredom, for the sake of movement itself, or for no reason at all, and with no awareness.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Some fans believed British actor Damson Idris, who starred alongside Brad Pitt in the F1 movie, would be selected for the Black Panther role.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Oscar-winning filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who directed the first two "Black Panther" films, will return to helm the third.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
In equally auspicious news, “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler announced he will return to direct “Black Panther 3,” slated for release in 2028.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
MoLo Solutions, Panther Premium Logistics and ArcBest Technologies will operate under the ArcBest brand effective Aug. 1, the company said Thursday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
He snarled, “Panther prowls the jungle. Panther stalks his prey. He waits, he creeps—” Beans crept across the kitchen on tiptoe.
From "Wringer" by Jerry Spinelli
As for the red wolf, Mr. Moore writes that, in the 1930s in northeast Louisiana, a remnant tract of old-growth forest teemed with prowling panthers and massive alligators.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
Mountain lions, also called pumas, cougars, catamounts or panthers, can be found throughout North America, but now are mostly in 15 western states, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026
They’ve been told to buddy up when taking trips to the latrines because of “alligators and Florida panthers and venomous snakes and different types of creatures.”
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2025
Larger cats, including captive lions, tigers and panthers, have also died as a result of eating meat contaminated with bird flu.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2024
“My heavens! You have chimpanzees, and panthers, and baboons, and even a hippopotamus. Nutsawoo will be thrilled.”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
