Main Entry: ti·ger

Pronunciation: \ˈtī-gər\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural tigers

Etymology: Middle English tigre, from Old English tiger & Anglo-French tigre, both from Latin tigris, from Greek, probably of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan tighra- pointed; akin to Greek stizein to tattoo — more at stick

Date: before 12th century

1 plural also tiger a : a large Asian carnivorous mammal (Panthera tigris) of the cat family having a usually tawny coat transversely striped with black b : any of several large wildcats (as the jaguar or cougar) c : a domestic cat with striped pattern d Australian : tasmanian tiger
2 a : a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality <aroused the tiger in him> <a tiger for work> b : one (as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control <how the tiger of inflation can be tamed — J. A. Davenport> —often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail
3 British : a groom in livery

— ti·ger·ish \-g(ə-)rish\ adjective

— ti·ger·ish·ly adverb

— ti·ger·ish·ness noun

— ti·ger·like \-gər-ˌlīk\ adjective

[tiger illustration]