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
McDonough was deputy national security adviser when Navy SEALs descended on the terrorist mastermind’s lair in Pakistan.—USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 But for a noir of isolation and concealment, about how the past can often feel inescapable, these shadowy dugouts — Travis’ motel, a church and one character’s lonely lair — are an atmospheric mother lode.—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Monk’s costume design impresses, as Elodie must use parts of her dress to engineer her way out of dire encounters with the dragon (voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo) and the maze of its underground lair.—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 The rare-book library shares an elegant plaza with Yale’s concert hall, the president’s office, the main dining hall, its World War I monument, and the lairs of Book and Snake, and Scroll and Key, two secret societies.—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 8 Feb. 2024 Thursday's episode began with the Vanderpump Rules alum and Bachelor nation's Corinne Olympios getting strapped into chairs in the underground lair as host Joel McHale announced their fate: Corinne was safe, as the cast unanimously voted Jax to be the first person banished from the show.—EW.com, 26 Oct. 2023 The bleached look of the Harkonnen’s world contrasts brilliantly with the earth tones of the Fremen’s desert lairs.—Scott Phillips, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Charlie Puth’s private lair could be just one call away!—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 9 Jan. 2024 Ideal for tweens, teens, and adults, this Royal Clamshell Lego set comes with over 1,800 pieces to construct King Triton’s throne, Ariel’s treasure hideaway, and Ursula’s lair.—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 12 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
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