leopard

noun

leop·​ard ˈle-pərd 

1

a

: a large strong cat (Panthera pardus) of southern Asia and Africa that is adept at climbing and is usually tawny or buff with black spots arranged in rosettes

called also panther

b

: the fur or pelt of a leopard

2

: a heraldic representation of a lion passant guardant

Illustration of leopard

• leopard 1

Examples of leopard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Through the Serengeti by Helicopter The safari is the original luxury-adventure experience — the thrill of tracking a leopard at dawn, the hush of a lion at 50 feet, the shock of a Great Migration river crossing. —Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 23 May 2026

Elephants are commonly seen, along with buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, impalas and a growing number of predators, including lions and leopards. —Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026

The new exhibit will have more than 30 sharks, showcasing 11 different species, including sand tiger sharks, blacktip reef sharks and the endangered Australian leopard shark. —Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026

Release your inner party animal with capris in a fun, sheer leopard print, perfect for a girls' night out. —Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French lepart, leupart, from Late Latin leopardus, from Greek leopardos, from leōn lion + pardos leopard

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing leopard

• a leopard can't change its spots
• clouded leopard
• leopard cat
• leopard frog
• leopard seal
• snow leopard

Rhymes for leopard

• peppered
• shepherd

Kids Definition

leopard

noun

leop·​ard ˈlep-ərd 

: a large strong cat of southern Asia and Africa that has a brownish buff coat with black spots arranged in broken rings

called also panther