tiger

noun

ti·​ger ˈtī-gər 

plural tigers

1

plural also tiger

a

: a large Asian carnivorous mammal (Panthera tigris) of the cat family having a usually tawny coat transversely striped with black

b

: any of several large wildcats (such as the jaguar or cougar)

c

: a domestic cat with striped pattern

d

Australia : tasmanian tiger

2

a

: a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality

aroused the tiger in him

a tiger for work

b

: someone or something (such as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control

… how the tiger of inflation can be tamed.

—J. A. Davenport

—often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail

3

British : a groom in livery

tigerish

ˈtī-g(ə-)rish 

adjective

tigerishly adverb

tigerishness noun

tigerlike

ˈtī-gər-ˌlīk 

adjective

Illustration of tiger

• tiger 1a

Synonyms of tiger

• shark
• barracuda
• bully
• pit bull
• fighter

Examples of tiger in a Sentence

He was a tiger on the basketball court.

even the best defense can't keep that tiger from scoring

Recent Examples on the Web

On the homepage is a black-and-white photo of two smiling stone tigers. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 23 July 2026

Yes, leopard spots, tiger stripes, and zebra prints are neutrals—and a very quick way to add a fashion-forward twist to activewear. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 23 July 2026

My favorite shave ice flavor is the Hawaiian favorite known as tiger’s blood. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

On the skin-care front, hyaluronic acid and glycerin help draw in and lock in moisture, while soothing tiger grass helps support the skin barrier and calm the look of irritation. — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tigre, from Old English tiger & Anglo-French tigre, both from Latin tigris, from Greek, probably of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan tighra- pointed; akin to Greek stizein to tattoo — more at stick

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing tiger

• Amur tiger
• Asian tiger mosquito
• Bengal tiger
• blind tiger
• false saber-toothed tiger
• paper tiger
• saber-toothed tiger
• saber-tooth tiger
• Siberian tiger
• Tasmanian tiger
• tiger beetle
• tiger cat
• tiger lily
• tiger maple
• tiger mosquito
• tiger moth
• tiger salamander
• tiger's-eye
• tiger shark
• tiger shrimp
• tiger swallowtail

Rhymes for tiger

• geiger

Kids Definition

tiger

noun

ti·​ger ˈtī-gər 

plural tigers also tiger

1

: a large Asian flesh-eating mammal of the same family as the domestic cat with a coat that is typically light brown to orange with mostly vertical black stripes

2

: any of several large wildcats (as the jaguar or cougar)

3

: a domestic cat with a striped coat