tiger

[tahy-ger]

noun

plural

tigers, tiger 

1. a large, carnivorous, tawny-colored and black-striped feline, Panthera tigris, of Asia, ranging in several subspecies from India and the Malay Peninsula to Siberia: the entire species is endangered, with some subspecies thought to be extinct.

2. the cougar, jaguar, thylacine, or other animal resembling the tiger.

3. a person resembling a tiger in fierceness, courage, etc.

4. a country that is considered to have a tiger economy.

   Taiwan is one of the four Asian tigers.

5. an additional cheer (often the wordtiger ) at the end of a round of cheering.

6. any of several strong, voracious fishes, as a sand shark.

7. any of numerous animals with stripes similar to a tiger's.

adjective

1. noting or relating to a strict parenting style that demands academic excellence and obedience from children, associated especially with East Asians.

   a tiger mom; tiger parenting.

tiger

¹

/ ˈtaɪɡə /

noun

1. a large feline mammal, Panthera tigris, of forests in most of Asia, having a tawny yellow coat with black stripes

2. (not in technical use) any of various other animals, such as the jaguar, leopard, and thylacine

3. a dynamic, forceful, or cruel person

4. 1. a country, esp in E Asia, that is achieving rapid economic growth

   2. ( as modifier )

      a tiger economy

5. archaic,  a servant in livery, esp a page or groom

6. short for tiger moth

7. slang,  a ten-rand note

8. informal,  to find oneself in a situation that has turned out to be much more difficult to control than one had expected

Tiger

²

/ ˈtaɪɡə /

noun

1. See TIGR

Other Word Forms

• tigerlike adjective
• tigerishness noun
• tiger-like adjective
• tigerishly adverb
• tigerish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tiger¹

before 1000; Middle English tigre, Old English tīgras (plural) < Latin tīgris, tigris < Greek tígris

Word History and Origins

Origin of tiger¹

C13: from Old French tigre, from Latin tigris, from Greek, of Iranian origin

Example Sentences

As one put it, rather colourfully, "you can't reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth".

Read more on BBC

As he spoke, Lord Fredrick rested his hand on the head of a stuffed tiger.

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He paused at a photo of a Siberian tiger.

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Walking among the zoo’s exotic animals, it feels even farther — especially at the edge of the soaring, 8,000-square-foot tiger enclosure.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He added, “There is an enraged tiger out there — the people of Uruapan.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cougar 
• cub 
• leopard 
• lynx