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 aor 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 ccapitalized : leo2 a: a person felt to resemble a lion (as in courage or ferocity) b: a person of outstanding interest or importance <a literary lion>3capitalized [Lions (club)] : a member of a major national and international service club

— li·on·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective