lion

noun

li·​on ˈlī-ən How to pronounce lion (audio)
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 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.
There was no telling what to expect from Margin Call director J. C. Chandor’s take on Kraven the Hunter, a Spider-Man rogue from the ‘60s best known for showing off his abs while sporting a vest fashioned out of a lion’s head. Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 13 Dec. 2024 An archaeological excavation in Greece has revealed the remains of an ancient monumental building replete with marble lion sculptures and intriguing gold artifacts, among other finds. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024 In this film, Rebel Ridge actor Aaron Pierre portrays a young Mufasa, who strikes up a friendship and brotherly bond with the lion Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr), who later becomes Scar. Tommy McArdle, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024 The game’s trailer features violent scenes such as a lion painted with a Palestinian flag goring a soldier and a bloody skeleton crawling through a city street. Jackson Walker, Baltimore Sun, 8 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near lion

Cite this Entry

“Lion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lion. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on lion

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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