lynx

Meaning

Any of several medium-sized wild cats of the genus Lynx.

Synonyms

catamount

bobcat

wildcat

European lynx

Lynx canadensis

common lynx

Northern lynx

caracal

Eurasian lynx

Translations

Luchs

lynx

lince

lince

lynx

λύγκας

lynx

lince

vaşak

Lynx lynx

los

Lynx canadensis

linx

linx

Pronounced as (IPA)

/lɪŋks/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: lynx

Cognate with English: los

Cognate with Middle English: lusk

Cognate with Old English: lox

In summary

From Middle English lynx, linx, lenx, lynce, from Latin lynx, from Ancient Greek λύγξ (lúnx), from Proto-Hellenic *lúnks, from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“white; light; bright”), because of the cat's glowing eyes and ability to see in the dark.
Displaced English los; Middle English lusk (“lynx”), from Old English lox (“lynx”) as the animal died out in Britain during the Middle Ages.