tiger

American  

[tahy-ger] / ˈtaɪ gər /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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Tiger ² British  

/ ˈtaɪɡə /

noun

1. See TIGR

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of tiger

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

Example Sentences

She felt like a tiger in a cage, trying to burst free.

From Literature

Just beyond the Chitwan National Park, home of some of the last Bengal tigers, the southern town of Madi embodies Nepal's deep dependence on the export of its people.

From Barron's

Authorities and Japanese media have described the seized vessel as a "tiger net fishing boat" with a high capacity.

From BBC

It didn’t rain cats and dogs; it rained cows and horses … lions and tigers … boy, it rained elephants and giraffes!

From Literature

"Let's be very crystal clear here: if a bull shark, or a tiger, or a great white did want to prey on a human, there would be no body."

From BBC

Related Words

• cougar
• cub
• leopard
• lynx