tiger
Americannoun
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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.
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the cougar, jaguar, thylacine, or other animal resembling the tiger.
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a person resembling a tiger in fierceness, courage, etc.
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a country that is considered to have a tiger economy.
Taiwan is one of the four Asian tigers.
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an additional cheer (often the wordtiger ) at the end of a round of cheering.
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any of several strong, voracious fishes, as a sand shark.
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any of numerous animals with stripes similar to a tiger's.
adjective
noun
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a large feline mammal, Panthera tigris, of forests in most of Asia, having a tawny yellow coat with black stripes
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(not in technical use) any of various other animals, such as the jaguar, leopard, and thylacine
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a dynamic, forceful, or cruel person
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a country, esp in E Asia, that is achieving rapid economic growth
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( as modifier )
a tiger economy
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archaic a servant in livery, esp a page or groom
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short for tiger moth
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slang a ten-rand note
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informal to find oneself in a situation that has turned out to be much more difficult to control than one had expected
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of tiger
before 1000; Middle English tigre, Old English tīgras (plural) < Latin tīgris, tigris < Greek tígris
Explanation
You can think of a tiger as your sweet pet cat's distant cousin. Easily recognizable because of its distinctive dark stripes and orange fur, the tiger is the largest of all the cats. Some subspecies of tiger can weigh as much as 600 pounds. Because they are such fierce predators, tigers and humans have often clashed throughout history, resulting in the tiger's current classification as an endangered species. A person who's especially ambitious or fierce might also be called a tiger. The word may share a root with the Old Persian tigra-, "sharp."
Vocabulary lists containing tiger
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Example Sentences
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See Examples For:
She worked alongside other students to design enrichment activities for a tiger, for example, before presenting their ideas to members of the public - something she said she would previously have found intimidating.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The northern dune tiger beetle is particularly fast moving and can travel at up to 2.5m a second, said Harper.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The lawyers point to the use of cartoon animals by convenience stores since at least the 1930s: Sinclair Oil has a dinosaur, Stinker Stores a skunk, Esso a tiger and Wawa a goose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Locals were also sceptical of claims in a recent study that tiger reintroduction will bring economic benefits from tourism.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Aru was grateful to it; earlier, the tiger had gently picked up her frozen mother in his mouth and placed her in her bedroom, so she was out of harm’s way.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
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At Auburn, he had smashed college records set by the likes of Tiger Woods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
It said legal proceedings had been initiated against the owner of the Tiger distillery for "manufacturing or selling products hazardous to health" and "illegal commercial operation".
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
The 24-year-old has sought counsel from Tiger Woods during the dark times and revealed the 15-time major winner was among the first to congratulate him on this long-awaited victory.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
He built his Trout National golf resort, with a course designed by Tiger Woods, in Millville.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
“I suppose this is the use the Tiger King had in mind for me,” the stonecutter said.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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The park said young tigers typically remained with their mothers for up to three years but her relocation at the age of two "reflects that natural transition, while supporting wider conservation efforts across Europe".
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
He fears prey availability has not recovered enough to support tigers, who could starve.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The plan would see India send several of its more than 3,600 tigers to southwest Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains, a protected expanse of lush rainforest stretching over a million hectares.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The zoo has more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers and meerkats.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
And it was a growl, deep in his throat, the sort of growl tigers make.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
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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.