Definition

Noun: 1. A hybrid cross between a male tiger (Panthera tigris) and a female lion (Panthera leo): A tiglon is the offspring resulting from the mating of a male tiger and a lioness. It is a type of big cat hybrid, generally smaller than a liger (the offspring of a male lion and a tigress).

Examples

• The zoo's new exhibit features a rare tiglon, which has faint stripes and a small mane.
• While ligers are often very large, a tiglon is typically closer in size to its lioness mother.
• The tiglon's appearance combines characteristics of both parent species.

Advanced Usage

• The term "tiglon" is used specifically in zoology and discussions about captive big cats to describe this particular hybrid. It is less common than its counterpart, the liger.
• "Tigon" is an accepted alternative spelling for tiglon.

Variants and Related Words

• Tigon (n): An alternative spelling for tiglon.
• Liger (n): The hybrid offspring of a male lion and a female tiger.
• Hybrid (n): The general term for the offspring of two animals or plants of different species or varieties.

Synonyms

• Hybrid big cat
• Tiger-lion cross

Notes on Meaning

• A tiglon is distinct from a liger. The parentage is reversed: a tiglon has a tiger father and a lion mother, while a liger has a lion father and a tiger mother. This difference in parentage often results in different physical characteristics and sizes.

Noun

1. offspring of a male tiger and a female lion