Illustration of tiger
- tiger 1a
tiger
noun
ti·ger ˈtī-gər 
plural tigers
1
plural also tiger
a
: a large Asian carnivorous mammal (Panthera tigris) of the cat family having a usually tawny coat transversely striped with black
b
: any of several large wildcats (such as the jaguar or cougar)
c
: a domestic cat with striped pattern
d
Australia : tasmanian tiger
2
a
: a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality
aroused the tiger in him
a tiger for work
b
: someone or something (such as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control
how the tiger of inflation can be tamed
J. A. Davenport
—often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail J. A. Davenport3
British : a groom in livery
tigerish
ˈtī-g(ə-)rish
adjective tigerishly adverb
tigerishness noun
tigerlike
ˈtī-gər-ˌlīk
adjective 
Synonyms
- barracuda
- fire-breather
- fire-eater
- pit bull
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was a tiger on the basketball court. even the best defense can't keep that tiger from scoring
Recent Examples on the Web Maui's deep offshore reefs are ideal places for tiger sharks to mate, pup and feed. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Goldstein and the group with him spotted four cubs with the adult female tiger. People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 4 May 2022 The December incident at the Naples Zoo ended with the Malayan tiger named Eko being fatally shot by a deputy. NBC News, 5 Feb. 2022 Last week, to celebrate new year in Japan, a special AirTag with a tiger on it was released. David Phelan, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2022 Investment firm Alger just released a new report that spotlights self-defeating investor biases, such as equating a modern-day market fall with a saber-tooth tiger. Larry Light, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2021 The Asiatown space is decorated with tiger props, allowing for guests to capture the perfect hand-holding-drink photo for social media. Megha Mcswain, Chron, 26 Aug. 2022 The incident with the tiger painting – which Nesvisky estimates was about two feet by three feet in size – happened in the summer of 2021. Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2022 As an animal lover and volunteer at the zoo, there’s a memorial plaque of Naomi over the tiger exhibit to this day. Joe Mario Pedersen, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2022 See More
Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Goldstein and the group with him spotted four cubs with the adult female tiger. People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 4 May 2022 The December incident at the Naples Zoo ended with the Malayan tiger named Eko being fatally shot by a deputy. NBC News, 5 Feb. 2022 Last week, to celebrate new year in Japan, a special AirTag with a tiger on it was released. David Phelan, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2022 Investment firm Alger just released a new report that spotlights self-defeating investor biases, such as equating a modern-day market fall with a saber-tooth tiger. Larry Light, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2021 The Asiatown space is decorated with tiger props, allowing for guests to capture the perfect hand-holding-drink photo for social media. Megha Mcswain, Chron, 26 Aug. 2022 The incident with the tiger painting – which Nesvisky estimates was about two feet by three feet in size – happened in the summer of 2021. Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2022 As an animal lover and volunteer at the zoo, there’s a memorial plaque of Naomi over the tiger exhibit to this day. Joe Mario Pedersen, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English tigre, from Old English tiger & Anglo-French tigre, both from Latin tigris, from Greek, probably of Iranian origin; akin to Avestan tighra- pointed; akin to Greek stizein to tattoo — more at stick
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing tiger
Kids Definition
tiger
noun
ti·ger ˈtī-gər
: a large Asian meat-eating animal of the cat family that is light brown with black stripes
tigers
noun
as in sharks
an aggressive and fiercely determined person even the best defense can't keep that tiger from scoring Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sharks
- bullies
- barracuda
- barracudas
- pit bulls
- fighters
- fire-breathers
- fire-eaters
- aggressors
- militants
- attack dogs
- hatchet men
- hustlers
- battlers
- scrappers
- live wires
- go-getters
- diehards
- self-starters
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pussycats
- reeds
- weaklings
- softies
- milquetoasts
- wimps
- pushovers