Leonine
/ˈliː.ə.naɪn/noun
Of or resembling a lion; fierce, proud, or lionlike.
Did you know?Leonine comes from the same ancient root that gave us Leo, the zodiac sign of the lion, so the word has been carrying solar, regal symbolism for centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lew-
“to shine; to be bright”
Ancient Greek
Greek
leōn
“lion”
Latin
Latin
leoninus
“of or like a lion”
Old French
Old French
leonin
“lionlike; pertaining to a lion”
Middle English
English
leonine
“lionlike; fierce or majestic”
Modern English
English
leonine
“of or resembling a lion; majestic, proud, or fierce”