Meaning

A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe..

Definitions by Sense

1. A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
2. (by extension) Any of various extant and extinct big cats, especially the mountain lion.
3. A Chinese foo dog.
4. A person who shows attributes associated with the lion, such as strength, courage, or ferocity.
5. A famous person regarded with interest and curiosity.
6. A light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion.
7. (historical) An old Scottish coin, with a lion on the obverse, worth 74 shillings.
8. Of the light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion.

Example Sentences

Tigers and lions share a common ancestor from a few million years ago.

For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.

Sinibaldus lists lion's fat as a popular medieval aphrodisiac treatment.

It was said of [Edward Plantaganet] that ‘he was a lion for pride and ferocity but a pard for inconstancy and changeableness, not keeping his word or promise but excusing himself with fair words’.

During this period, we were the lions of the neighbourhood; and, no doubt, strangers from the distant villages were taken to see the "Karhowrees" (white men), in the same way that countrymen, in a city, are gallanted to the Zoological Gardens.

Such society was far more enjoyable than that of Edinburgh, for here he was not a lion, but a man.

The men were delighted to go, and became the lions of the following season in Adelaide.

Rose Waterford was a cynic. She looked upon life as an opportunity for writing novels and the public as her raw material. Now and then she invited members of it to her house if they showed an appreciation of her talent and entertained with proper lavishness. She held their weakness for lions in good-humoured contempt, but played to them her part of the distinguished woman of letters with decorum.

Word Forms

• lions
• lion
• lyon

Synonyms for lion

Related Words

When Should You Use Lion?

Use lion when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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