Asiatic lion

noun

: a lion of a subspecies (Panthera leo persica) found in western India that is slightly smaller than the lion of Africa
Asiatic lions tend to be grayer, have longer tufts of hair on their elbows and often a fringe of hair along their bellies, found there is a fold of skin seldom found in African lions.Peter Jackson, International Wildlife, January/February 1983
Only 200 Asiatic lions are left in the wild, and all are concentrated in the Gir Forest northwest of Bombay.Arnie Weissmann, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 1986

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Asiatic lion was in 1805

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Cite this Entry

“Asiatic lion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Asiatic%20lion. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

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