[ti.ger] n, pl tigers [ME tigre, fr. OE tiger & OF tigre, both fr. L tigris, fr. Gk, prob. of Iranian origin; akin to Av tighra- pointed; akin to Gk stizein to tattoo--more at stick] (bef. 12c) 1 pl also tiger a: a large Asian carnivorous mammal (Panthera tigris) of the cat family having a usu. 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 Austral: tasmanian wolf
2. a: a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality "aroused the ~ in him" "a ~ for work" b: one (as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control "how the ~ of inflation can be tamed --J. A. Davenport"--often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail 3 Brit: a groom in livery -- ti.ger.ish adj -- ti.ger.ish.ly adv -- ti.ger.ish.ness n -- ti.ger.like adj