snow leopard

American  

noun

• snow leopards
  plural

1. a long-haired, leopardlike feline, Panthera (Uncia ) uncia, of mountain ranges of central Asia, having a relatively small head and a thick, creamy-gray coat with rosette spots: an endangered species.

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snow leopard British  

noun

1. Also called: ounce.  a large feline mammal, Panthera uncia, of mountainous regions of central Asia, closely related to the leopard but having a long pale brown coat marked with black rosettes

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• snow leopards
  plural

Etymology

Origin of snow leopard

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snow leopard

Two rare snow leopard cubs have been born at the park, alongside Himalayan monals and red deer, as well as Bru the capybara, Snoot the giant armadillo and Atty the sloth at Edinburgh Zoo.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

And who can find a snow leopard when he needs one?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

"Earlier, we thought the snow leopard was our enemy," says Dolma Zangmo, a local resident.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2026

So far this year, she has starred in the nearly billion-dollar-grossing blockbuster hit “A Minecraft Movie” and voiced a villainous snow leopard in “The Bad Guys 2.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2025

The golden monkey leaped into Mrs. Coulter’s arms, making little sounds of distress, reaching out to the snow leopard as she paced away, and Mrs. Coulter’s face was a mask of tears.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman