: a large powerful tawny-brown cat (Puma concolor synonym Felis concolor) formerly widespread in the Americas but now reduced in number or extinct in many areas
called alsocatamount, mountain lion, panther, puma
2
slang: a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man
in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar
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Female cougars, on the other hand, don’t usually have to roam as far and wide.—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025 Characteristics of panthers Florida panthers resemble the cougars and pumas found in the American West, with beige or tan fur and white markings underneath.—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025 Ventura County sheriff’s deputies arrived and spotted the cougar resting under a swing set in the backyard, the department said on Facebook.—Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025 At lower elevations, visitors can find moose, elk and a wealth of other herbivores grazing along the grasslands, while truly fortunate visitors might catch a glimpse of a cougar surveying the forest for prey.—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cougar
Word History
Etymology
French couguar, modification of New Latin cuguacuarana, from Tupi sɨwasuarána, from sɨwásu deer + -ran resembling
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