cougar

noun

cou·​gar ˈkü-gər 

also -ˌgär

plural cougars also cougar

1

: a large powerful tawny-brown cat (Puma concolor synonym Felis concolor) formerly widespread in the Americas but now reduced in number or extinct in many areas

called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma

2

slang : a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger partner

Illustration of cougar

• cougar 1

Synonyms of cougar

• panther

Examples of cougar in a Sentence

in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar

Recent Examples on the Web

The cougars that make their way through Minnesota are believed to be lone wanderers from the Dakotas and Nebraska. —Aki Nace, CBS News, 1 May 2026

In 2011, a cougar that had roamed the Northland two years earlier was found struck and killed on a Connecticut highway — more than 1,000 miles away. —Jimmy Lovrien, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026

Alan volunteered for Capitol Reef’s biologists, scouting for bighorn sheep and cougar. —Stephen Trimble, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026

But over the next centuries, that changed as humans reshaped the landscape and eliminated predators like wolves, bears and cougars. —Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French couguar, modification of New Latin cuguacuarana, from Tupi sɨwasuarána, from sɨwásu deer + -ran resembling

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cougar

• huger
• luger

Kids Definition

cougar

noun

cou·​gar ˈkü-gər 

also -ˌgär

plural cougars also cougar

: a large powerful brownish yellow cat formerly widespread in the Americas but no longer found in many areas

called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma