Meaning & use
lionesque
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Meaning
adjectivenot comparableliterary
Having qualities that make you think of a lion, such as a thick mane of hair or a proud, powerful appearance.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a lionesque mane; his face was lionesque.
Patterns
- lionesque hair
- a lionesque appearance
- be lionesque
The actor's lionesque hair and beard made him perfect for the role of the king.
With her lionesque features and steady gaze, she commanded attention in every room.
The old general had a lionesque dignity that inspired both fear and respect.
Common combinations
- lionesque mane
- He shook his lionesque mane and laughed.
- lionesque features
- Her lionesque features gave her a striking, wild beauty.
- lionesque dignity
- The professor carried himself with a lionesque dignity.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: lionesque or leonine?
lionesque vs leonine
Both mean 'like a lion', but leonine is the standard everyday term, while lionesque is rarer and more poetic.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lionesque' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Lionesque' is an adjective describing something that resembles a lion, so it correctly modifies 'beard'. The other options use it as a noun ('the lionesque') or an adverb ('lionesquely'), which are not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lionesque”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.