lion

noun

li·​on ˈlī-ən How to pronounce lion (audio)
plural lions
Synonyms of lionnext
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
Lion : 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
Lion [Lions (club)] : a member of a major national and international service club
lionlike adjective

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
England's captain, Harry Kane, praised Ghana for making the game this afternoon hard on the Three Lions, remaining compact throughout its defense. Monica Alba, NBC news, 24 June 2026 Most travelers visit Africa for wildlife moments such as elephants at a waterhole, lions in the grass and rhinos on open plains. Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 The top two are set and in order, with Bijan Robinson expected to get the lion’s share of the carries and Brian Robinson stepping into the Tyler Allgeier fill-in role. Josh Kendall, New York Times, 23 June 2026 Of course, the Cannes film festival and Lions serve different purposes. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lion

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lion was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lion. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

lion

noun
li·​on ˈlī-ən How to pronounce lion (audio)
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 adjective

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