lynx

Meaning

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

Synonyms

catamount

bobcat

wildcat

European lynx

Lynx canadensis

common lynx

Northern lynx

caracal

Eurasian lynx

Pronounced as (IPA)

/lɪŋks/

Etymology

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