# lioness

/lˈaɪənɛs/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lioness
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

a female lion. You use this word to talk about a lion's mother or a female member of a lion pride.

For teachers: 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.