n.
Pronunciation: ' t ī -g ə r
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural tigers
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
Date: before 12th century
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 (as the jaguar or cougar) c : a domestic cat with striped pattern d Australian : TASMANIAN TIGER
2 a : a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality <aroused the tiger in him> <a tiger for work> b : one (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
3 British : a groom in livery
– ti · ger · ish \ -g( ə -)rish \ adjective
– ti · ger · ish · ly adverb
– ti · ger · ish · ness noun
– ti · ger · like \ -g ə r- ˌ l ī k \ adjective
tiger