leopard

1 of 2

noun (1)

leop·​ard ˈle-pərd How to pronounce leopard (audio)
1
a
: a large strong cat (Panthera pardus) of southern Asia and Africa that is adept at climbing and is usually tawny or buff with black spots arranged in rosettes

called also panther

b
: the fur or pelt of a leopard
2
: a heraldic representation of a lion passant guardant

Illustration of leopard

Illustration of leopard
  • leopard 1

leopardess

2 of 2

noun (2)

leop·​ard·​ess ˈle-pər-dəs How to pronounce leopardess (audio)
: a female leopard

Examples of leopard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The woman was attacked while caring for two Persian leopards in an indoor facility at the Beekse Bergen park in the south of the Netherlands. — CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Clad in a vintage Yves Saint Laurent leopard print dress from 1998 and a matching headscarf, Kardashian’s light glam matched the golden hue of her outfit. — Arushi Jacob, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026 Sabalenka paired a leopard print string top with matching cheeky bottoms as she and a friend posed for sunset selfies on the seashore. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 26 Oct. 2026 Whether its in a shirt, a coat, heels, or even better, all three, the earth-tone pants allow a leopard, cheetah, or zebra motif to really show its wild side. — Georgia Trodd, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leopard

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French lepart, leupart, from Late Latin leopardus, from Greek leopardos, from leōn lion + pardos leopard

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leopard was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing leopard

Rhymes for leopard

See All Rhymes for leopard

Browse Nearby Words

Leonurus
leopard
leopard's-bane
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Leopard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leopard. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

leopard

noun
leop·​ard ˈlep-ərd How to pronounce leopard (audio)
: a large strong cat of southern Asia and Africa that has a brownish buff coat with black spots arranged in broken rings

called also panther

More from Merriam-Webster on leopard

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leopard

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