noun
cougar
KOO-guh
noun
1
A large wild cat native to the Americas, also called a puma or mountain lion.
"A cougar was spotted prowling near the campsite."
2
Informal: an older woman who seeks romantic or sexual relationships with much younger men.
"The tabloid nicknamed her a cougar after she was seen dating a man half her age."
How to Use Cougar
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big cat found across the Americas — or, informally, an older woman dating much younger men.
When to use it
The slang sense is casual and can be considered dismissive; use with care in formal writing.
Word Forms
cougars plural, Cougars plural
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Etymology
From French couguar, borrowed from Portuguese, ultimately from an Old Tupi word for the animal.