Definitions and meaning of lion
lion
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English lyoun, lion, leon, borrowed from Old French lion, from Latin leō, (accusative: leōnem), from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn), of unclear origin. Doublet of Leo, leu, lev, and Lyon. Displaced Old English lēo, from the same Latin source.
Pronunciation
- enPR: lī'ən, IPA(key): /ˈlaɪən/
-
- Rhymes: -aɪən
Noun
lion (plural lions or (rare) lion)
- A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
- (in particular) A male lion, as opposed to a lioness, which is characterized by having a flowing shaggy mane and taking little part in hunting, which can be done cooperatively.
- (by extension) Any of various extant and extinct big cats, especially the mountain lion.
- A Chinese foo dog.
- A person who shows attributes associated with the lion, such as strength, courage, or ferocity.
- A famous person regarded with interest and curiosity.
- A light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- (historical) An old Scottish coin, with a lion on the obverse, worth 74 shillings.
Holonyms
- (individual Panthera leo): pride
Coordinate terms
- (Panthera leo): cougar, leopard, panther, puma, tiger
- (male lion individual): cub, lioness
Derived terms
Related terms
Descendants
- → Hawaiian: liona
- → Japanese: ライオン (raion)
- → Maia: laion
- → Tokelauan: leona
Translations
Adjective
lion (not comparable)
- Of the light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion.
See also
- lion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- Panthera leo on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
- Category:lion on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
- Appendix:Animals
- Appendix:English collective nouns
Anagrams
- LINO, Nilo-, Olin, lino, loin, noil
French
Etymology
Inherited from Old French lion, a semi-learned borrowing from Latin leōnem, from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ljɔ̃/, (Quebec, regionally in Europe) /li.ɔ̃/
- Rhymes: -ɔ̃
- Homophones: lions, Lyon
Noun
lion m (plural lions, feminine lionne)
- (zoology) lion
- (specifically) male lion
- (figuratively) lion (brave person)
- se défendre comme un lion ― to defend oneself with great courage
- (heraldry) lion
- (figuratively, dated) lion (celebrity; famous person)
- (dated) a style of elegant young man that came after the dandy
Derived terms
Descendants
- Haitian Creole: lyon
- Mauritian Creole: lyon
- Seychellois Creole: lyon
Further reading
- “lion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
Kabuverdianu
Etymology
From Portuguese leão.
Noun
lion
- (zoology) lion
Krio
Etymology
From English leone.
Noun
lion
- leone (currency of Sierra Leone)
Middle English
Noun
lion
- Alternative form of lyoun
Old French
Alternative forms
Etymology
Semi-learned borrowing from Latin leō, leōnem, derived from Ancient Greek λέων (léōn).
Noun
lion oblique singular, m (oblique plural lions, nominative singular lions, nominative plural lion)
- lion (animal)
Descendants
- Middle French: lyon
- French: lion
- Haitian Creole: lyon
- Mauritian Creole: lyon
- Seychellois Creole: lyon
- Norman: lioun, lion, lliaon, lyõ
- Picard: lion
- → Breton: leon
- → Middle English: lyoun, lion, leon, lioun, lyon, liun, lyoone, leun, lyoon, lyown, lyun, leoun, lyone
- English: lion (see there for further descendants)
- Scots: lion
- Yola: leeoon, leioon
Piedmontese
Pronunciation
Noun
lion m
- lion (animal)
- Synonym: leon
Source: wiktionary.org