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.
Panther Lake was the effort to do that, he said.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026
Jordan also collaborated with Coogler in 2018 with Black Panther where he played Erik Killmonger, one of the most memorable antagonists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
"Black Panther" went on to win three Oscars, and secured a best picture nomination.
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
Their collaborations have given audiences Creed and Black Panther, and now their latest film, Sinners, has delivered the biggest moment yet.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
Behind the rows of stools stood the stars of the show, the members of the 1988 Permian Panther high school football team.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
