Leopard
/ˈlɛp.ərd/noun
A large spotted wild cat native to Africa and Asia.
Did you know?The word passed through Greek and Latin as a label for a spotted big cat, showing how ancient languages often named animals by blending more familiar predator names into one terrifying image.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lewo-
“lion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
λεόπαρδος (leópardos)
“a leopard, literally a lion-panther”
Latin
Latin
leopardus
“a leopard”
Old French
Old French
leupart / leopart
“a leopard”
Middle English
English
leopard
“a leopard”