Word
lair
US/ˈɫɛɹ/
UK/lˈeə/
Definition
n. a secret or private place where a wild animal lives or where someone goes to hide. It is often used to describe the home of a dangerous creature or a villain.
n. the den or resting place of a wild animal; by extension, a secluded or secret hideout used by a person. Often carries a connotation of danger, secrecy, or predatory behavior.
Examples
“The bear returned to its lair to sleep for the winter.”
“In the movie, the villain plans his next move from a high-tech lair hidden deep inside a volcano.”
“The detective spent weeks tracking the suspect, eventually discovering a cramped basement apartment that served as the criminal's lair and primary base of operations.”
Examples
simple
“The bear returned to its lair to sleep for the winter.”
contextual
“In the movie, the villain plans his next move from a high-tech lair hidden deep inside a volcano.”
complex
“The detective spent weeks tracking the suspect, eventually discovering a cramped basement apartment that served as the criminal's lair and primary base of operations.”
Usage
Often used metaphorically in fiction to describe the headquarters of an antagonist.
Etymology
From Middle English leir, leire, lair, lare, from Old English leġer (“couch, bed”), from Proto-Germanic legrą, from Proto-Indo-European legʰ-.
From Old Norse leir (“clay, mud”). Compare Icelandic leir (“clay”).
Backformation from lairy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lair