leonine
2 synonyms for leonine, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Of or resembling a lion, or having qualities typical of a lion.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
lionesque
lionly
How to use leonine
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
leonine mane
leonine features
leonine grace
a leonine stare
Leonine is a literary word, more at home in descriptive writing than in ordinary conversation.
Etymology
Leonine comes from Late Middle English leonin, which was taken from Old French and ultimately from the Latin leoninus, meaning of or pertaining to a lion. The Latin word is built on leo, meaning lion, a term that itself traces back to Ancient Greek.
Full origin of leonine →Frequently asked questions
What does leonine mean?
It means lionlike, describing something that looks or behaves like a lion.
Is leonine used to describe people?
Yes, it is often used for a person's face, hair or manner when it suggests the look of a lion.
Where does the word leonine come from?
It comes from Latin leoninus, based on leo, the Latin word for lion.
