lion

noun

li·​on ˈlī-ən 

plural lions

1

a

or plural lion : a large heavily built social cat (Panthera leo) of open or rocky areas chiefly of sub-Saharan Africa though once widely distributed throughout Africa and southern Asia that has a tawny body with a tufted tail and a shaggy blackish or dark brown mane in the male

b

: any of several large wildcats

especially : cougar sense 1

c

capitalized : leo

2

a

: a person felt to resemble a lion (as in courage or ferocity)

b

: a person of outstanding interest or importance

a literary lion

3

capitalized [Lions (club)] : a member of a major national and international service club

lionlike

ˈlī-ən-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms

• baron
• captain
• czar
• tsar
• tzar
• king
• lord
• magnate
• mogul
• monarch
• Napoleon
• prince
• tycoon

Examples of lion in a Sentence

the roar of the lion

He was a literary lion among the writers of his time.

Recent Examples on the Web

German magicians Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Uwe Horn in real life became Las Vegas stars along with their white lions and tigers. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025

Known for their flamboyant costumes and elaborate stage show that involved live lions and tigers, Siegfried & Roy became one of the most popular acts on the Las Vegas strip in the 1990s. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 12 May 2025

Meanwhile, foundation models and synthetic content tools continued to absorb the lion’s share. —Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Or, adaptogenic mushrooms like lion’s mane or chaga. —Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lioun, from Anglo-French leun, lion, from Latin leon-, leo, from Greek leōn

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lion

• ant lion
• aphid lion
• California sea lion
• golden lion tamarin
• lion's den
• lion's mane
• lion's mane mushroom
• lion's share
• mountain lion
• sea lion

Rhymes for lion

• heian
• ion
• mayan
• scion
• amphitryon
• dandelion
• hawaiian
• ixion
• orion
• procyon
• visayan

Kids Definition

lion

noun

li·​on ˈlī-ən 

plural lion or lions

: a large flesh-eating mammal of the cat family that has a brownish buff coat, a tufted tail, and in the male a shaggy mane and that lives in open or rocky areas of Africa and formerly southern Asia

lionlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective