English Meaning & Definitions
Large carnivorous feline mammals of the family Felidae, most notably including the lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, and sometimes the cougar and cheetah.
- “Conservationists work tirelessly to protect endangered big cats in their natural habitats across Africa and Asia.”
- “Zookeepers constructed a specialized enclosure to safely house the sanctuary's rescued big cats.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “big cats”.
The term is a vernacular descriptor combining the common adjective 'big' with 'cats', derived from the Old English 'catt' and ultimately of Afro-Asiatic origin. While scientifically informal, the grouping typically refers to the largest extant members of the genus Panthera, alongside the cougar and cheetah, which possess the anatomical ability to roar (or purr, in the case of non-Pantherines).
Think of them as the 'royalty of the feline world'—too large to share a house with, but sharing the exact same predatory grace as a domestic tabby.
Frequently Asked Questions About “big cats”
1. What is the meaning of “big cats” in English?
In English, big cats (noun) is defined as: “Large carnivorous feline mammals of the family Felidae, most notably including the lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, and sometimes the cougar and cheetah.”.
2. How do you use “big cats” in a sentence?
“Conservationists work tirelessly to protect endangered big cats in their natural habitats across Africa and Asia.”
3. What are English synonyms of “big cats”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “big cats”?
The term is a vernacular descriptor combining the common adjective 'big' with 'cats', derived from the Old English 'catt' and ultimately of Afro-Asiatic origin. While scientifically informal, the grouping typically refers to the largest extant members of the genus Panthera, alongside the cougar and cheetah, which possess the anatomical ability to roar (or purr, in the case of non-Pantherines).
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.