Word
lioness
Phoneticsli·on·ess
UK/lˈaɪənɛs/
Countable noun
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.”
Examples
simple
“The lioness protected her cubs from the other animals.”
contextual
“During the hunt, the lioness led the charge while the males waited at the edge of the herd.”
complex
“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.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/lioness