1. (n.) A large carnivorous feline mammal (Felis leo), found in Southern Asia and in most parts of Africa, distinct varieties occurring in the different countries. The adult male, in most varieties, has a thick mane of long shaggy hair that adds to his apparent size, which is less than that of the largest tigers. The length, however, is sometimes eleven feet to the base of the tail. The color is a tawny yellow or yellowish brown; the mane is darker, and the terminal tuft of the tail is black. In one variety, called the maneless lion, the male has only a slight mane.

2. (n.) A sign and a constellation; Leo.

3. (n.) An object of interest and curiosity, especially a person who is so regarded; as, he was quite a lion in London at that time.

Achilles David Establishment Gibraltar Hector Leo Roland Samson Siberian tiger VIP a man achievement alerion animal charge annulet argent armorial bearings armory arms azure bandeau bar bar sinister baron baton bearings bend bend sinister big boy big gun big man big name big-timer bigwig billet blazon blazonry bobcat bordure brass brass hat brave broad arrow bulldog cadency mark canton cat-a-mountain catamount celebrity chaplet charge cheetah chevron chief chutzpanik coat of arms cockatrice constellation coronet cougar crescent crest cross cross moline crown cynosure decorated hero demigod demigoddess device difference differencing dignitary dignity eagle elder eminence ermine ermines erminites erminois escutcheon falcon father fess fess point field fighting cock figure file flanch fleur-de-lis folk hero fret fur fusil galaxy gallant gamecock garland good soldier great man griffin gules gyron hatchment heart of oak helmet heraldic device hero heroine high-muck-a-muck honor point horse idol immortal impalement impaling important person inescutcheon interests iron jaguar label leader leopard lords of creation lozenge luminaries luminary lynx magnate man of courage man of mark mantling marshaling martlet mascle master spirit metal mogul motto mountain lion mullet nabob nails name nombril point notability notable oak ocelot octofoil or ordinary orle ox painter paladin pale paly panjandrum panther pean person of note person of renown personage personality pheon pillar of society pleiad pop hero popular hero popular idol power power elite public figure puma purpure quarter quartering rock rose ruling circle sable sachem saltire scutcheon shield simba social lion somebody something spread eagle stalwart star steel subordinary superstar tenne the brave the great the top tiger tincture top brass top people torse tressure tycoon unicorn vair valiant valiant knight vert very important person wildcat worthy wreath yale