lioness

noun

li·​on·​ess ˈlī-ə-nəs How to pronounce lioness (audio)
: a female lion

Examples of lioness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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While Harvey and Mike were the beating heart (and Jessica, the fearsome lioness) of Suits, the show’s ensemble formed its strong backbone: Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), Harvey’s petulant, heart-on-his-sleeve frenemy, became the kind of character audiences loved to hate, or even grew to love. Max Gao, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025 The lionesses were first evacuated from an area in Eastern Ukraine affected by heavy shelling in 2022 and moved to an animal sanctuary in Belgium after traveling through Kyiv and Poland. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024 The researchers hypothesize that the brothers were seeking lionesses, as competition for females in the park’s fragmented ecosystem is fierce. Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024 The video shows a male lion leading two lionesses toward the car. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for lioness

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lioness was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Lioness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lioness. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

lioness

noun
li·​on·​ess ˈlī-ə-nəs How to pronounce lioness (audio)
: a female lion

More from Merriam-Webster on lioness

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