cougar

noun

cou·​gar ˈkü-gər 

 also  -ˌgär

plural cougars also cougar

1

: a large powerful tawny-brown cat (Puma concolor synonym Felis concolor) formerly widespread in the Americas but now reduced in number or extinct in many areas

called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma

2

slang : a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man

Illustration of cougar

• cougar 1

Synonyms

• catamount
• cat-a-mountain
• mountain lion
• panther
• puma

Examples of cougar in a Sentence

in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar

Recent Examples on the Web

The owner didn’t give the cougar another chance to attack. —Mitchell Willetts, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2025

Viewers were then treated to the main event which saw the Gators overcome a massive deficit of their own to knock out the defensive-dominant cougars, tied for the third-largest comeback in a national championship game. —Dj Siddiqi, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

An animal sanctuary in Washington reported losing 20 big cats including cougars and bobcats in late 2024 from the virus, while a harbor seal and Chilean flamingo were felled at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo in January. —Karen Kucher, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025

Add in cougars killed for livestock depredations and the agency recorded 753 lions killed that year — a record for the department, says Utah DWR game mammals coordinator Darren DeBloois. —Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French couguar, modification of New Latin cuguacuarana, from Tupi sɨwasuarána, from sɨwásu deer + -ran resembling

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cougar

• huger
• luger

Kids Definition

cougar

noun

cou·​gar ˈkü-gər 

 also  -ˌgär

plural cougars also cougar

: a large powerful brownish yellow cat formerly widespread in the Americas but no longer found in many areas

called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma