noun
lair
LEH-uh
noun
1
The den or hidden resting place of a wild animal.
"The hikers gave the bear's lair a wide berth."
"Wolves had made their lair beneath the fallen tree."
2
A hidden base or retreat, especially one used by a villain in fiction.
"The spy finally tracked the criminal to his secret lair."
How to Use Lair
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hidden shelter, especially for an animal or a fictional villain.
Common pairings
a bear's lair
villain's lair
secret lair
Word Forms
laired past tense, laired past tense, lairs plural, lairs plural, lairs plural, Lairs plural, lairs singular, lairs singular
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Etymology
From Old English leger, meaning "bed" or "couch", related to the verb "lie" (to recline).