What does "lion" mean?
A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
Lion
/ˈlaɪən/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
- Grammar: lion is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: panthera leo, a man, achievement, achilles.
- Useful contrasts: cowardice, herbivore, small portion.
- Usage evidence: We've got to catch the lion alive.
How to use "lion"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lion" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lion" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lion" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lion" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lion" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "panthera leo" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lion", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.
"Tigers and lions share a common ancestor from a few million years ago."
- 2 A player for National Football League's Detroit Lions.
- 3 large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male wordnet
- 4 A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly much of Europe.; 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.
- 5 A player for Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions. Canadian
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Leo wordnet
- 7 Any of various extant and extinct big cats, especially the mountain lion. broadly
- 8 A player for the England football team.
- 9 a celebrity who is lionized (much sought after) wordnet
- 10 A Chinese foo dog.
- 11 A player or supporter of the Brisbane Lions.
- 12 A person who shows attributes associated with the lion, such as strength, courage, or ferocity.
"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’."
- 13 A famous person regarded with interest and curiosity.
"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."
- 14 A light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion.
- 15 An old Scottish coin, with a lion on the obverse, worth 74 shillings. historical
Adjective
- 1 Of the light brown color that resembles the fur of a lion. not-comparable
Proper Noun
- 1 The constellation and zodiacal sign Leo.
"The Lion reigneth in the Back, Sides, Bones, Sinews and Griſles."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We've got to catch the lion alive."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lion"?
Common synonyms include: panthera leo, a man, achievement, achilles, alerion, animal.
How do you use "lion" in a sentence?
We've got to catch the lion alive.
How do you pronounce "lion"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪən/.
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.