lair

1 of 2

noun

ˈler 

1

dialectal British : a resting or sleeping place : bed

2

a

: the resting or living place of a wild animal : den

tracked the bear back to its lair

b

: a refuge or place for hiding

a villain's lair

lair

2 of 2

verb

laired; lairing; lairs

transitive verb

chiefly Scotland : to cause to sink in mire

intransitive verb

chiefly Scotland : wallow

Synonyms

Noun

• hideout
• nest

Examples of lair in a Sentence

Noun

tracking the bear back to its lair

She runs the project from her private lair in the suburbs.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cheetah cubs spend their first two months hidden in a lair while their mother hunts. —Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Somehow this ineptly plotted affair lured Keke Palmer into its lair and her comedy chops all but gets handcuffed by an illogical, unfunny screenplay. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025

From scenes depicting childhood monsters to an inspired take on the boogeyman’s evil lair, this season’s teams create some of the spookiest and most mouthwatering displays yet. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025

Now, the Wyoming Health Department is trying to contact all guests who stayed in a block of rooms under the bat's lair. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English leger; akin to Old High German legar bed, Old English licgan to lie — more at lie

Verb

Scots lair mire

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for lair

• air
• ayre
• bahr
• bare
• blare
• care
• chair
• claire
• ere
• err
• eyre
• fair

Kids Definition

lair

noun

ˈla(ə)r,

ˈle(ə)r

1

: the den or resting place of a wild animal

2

: refuge sense 1, hideaway