Words / C2

LEE-uh-nyn/ˈliːənaɪn/

Leonine means like a lion in appearance or manner (literary): a leonine head, leonine courage. A lion (already in the dictionary) is the everyday animal; intrepid (already in the dictionary) is fearless, sometimes wry, and doughty (already in the dictionary) is brave and persistent. Craven (already in the dictionary) is contemptibly cowardly — the opposite flavour. A mane on the chart is not a named post.

Meaning

Like a lion in appearance or manner (literary).

Examples

• “A leonine silhouette on the organogram still has to name the fire warden.”
• “A lion is the everyday animal (already in A1). Intrepid is fearless (already in C2). Doughty is brave and persistent (already in C2). Craven is cowardly (already in C2) — the contrast. A named post can still be held by anyone. A silhouette that never states the night cover is theatre. Write the rota; leave the mane.”

Good to know

Lion-like (literary). Everyday: lion (already in this dictionary). Close: intrepid / doughty (already in C2). Contrast: craven (already in C2). A mane ≠ a warden.

Near in meaning

lion-like, regal, mane-like, imposing

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