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
ˈlī-ən-ˌlīk How to pronounce lion (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of lion

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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.
Coming off an impressive win over the Lions and a bye week, the Panthers look to carry that momentum into their matchup with the Eagles. — Neil Nakahodo, Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026 Lions sixth-round pick Skyler Gill-Howard beat those odds with a resilience and perseverance that match the city that drafted him. — Matt Finkel, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Griffith has led the Lions to two NCAA Tournament at-large bids and the first victory in school history in the NCAAs. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 It has been revisited by a procession of the Celtic faithful again this week, eager to pay tribute to the 11 men from Glasgow who became the illustrious ‘Lisbon Lions’. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 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

Phrases Containing lion

Rhymes for lion

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Browse Nearby Words

lio-
lion
lion's beard
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Cite this Entry

“Lion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lion. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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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
-ˌlīk How to pronounce lion (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on lion

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lion

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