Main Entry: li·on

Pronunciation: \ˈlī-ən\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural lions

Etymology: Middle English lioun, from Anglo-French leun, lion, from Latin leon-, leo, from Greek leōn

Date: 12th century

1 a or plural lion : a large heavily built social cat (Panthera leo) of open or rocky areas chiefly of sub-Saharan Africa though once widely distributed throughout Africa and southern Asia that has a tawny body with a tufted tail and a shaggy blackish or dark brown mane in the male b : any of several large wildcats; especially : cougar c capitalized : leo
2 a : a person felt to resemble a lion (as in courage or ferocity) b : a person of outstanding interest or importance <a literary lion>
3 capitalized [Lions (club)] : a member of a major national and international service club

— li·on·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective