Word Noun
lioness
n.
countable
B2 Upper Intermediate UK /lˈaɪənɛs/ li·on·ess UK spelling lioness's
Definition
n.a female lion. You use this word to talk about a lion's mother or a female member of a lion pride.
n.a female lion. Often used in biological or literary contexts to distinguish the female from the male.
Examples
“The lioness protected her cubs from the other animals.”
“During the hunt, the lioness led the charge while the males waited at the edge of the herd.”
“The documentary follows a lioness as she navigates the challenges of raising a litter in a territory increasingly encroached upon by human development.”
Etymology
From Middle English leonesse, lyonesse, from Old French leonesse, lionesse; equivalent to lion + -ess.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Origin Old French leonesse
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated