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

For more winter wonder nearby, find Santa in his secret lair atop Rochers-de-Naye, accessible via traditional cogwheel train, and discounted with the Swiss Travel Pass. —AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025

Boy Kavalier was left unharmed — dammit — but Wendy and her friends locked him up along with Kirsh, Morrow and Dame Sylvia, taking control of his secret island lair. —Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 23 Sep. 2025

The spider lair is dark, static and repetitive with a lot of webs and not much interaction. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025

When Isaiah invites Cam to come train at his desert compound — which feels like a cross between a Brutalist bunker and a Bond villian’s lair — he’s already been warned by his doctor that another blow to the head could bench him for life. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Sep. 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