tigress
/'taigris/
Definition
- Noun:
- A female tiger: A tigress is the adult female of the species Panthera tigris.
- (Figurative) A fierce or aggressive woman: Used metaphorically to describe a woman who is perceived as powerful, assertive, or ferocious.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Literal):
- The tigress fiercely protected her cubs from any perceived threat.
- We observed a magnificent tigress resting in the shade.
- Noun (Figurative):
- In the courtroom, she was a tigress, dismantling the opposition's arguments with precision.
- He described his former boss as a real tigress when it came to meeting deadlines.
Advanced Usage
- "Like a tigress defending her young": A common simile used to describe someone, typically a mother, exhibiting extreme ferocity and protectiveness.
- When they threatened her children, she reacted like a tigress defending her young.
Variants and Related Words
- Tiger (n): The general term for the large feline, or specifically the male. It is also used figuratively for a fiercely determined person.
- The team played like tigers to win the championship.
- Tigerish (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a tiger, especially in being fierce, aggressive, or energetic.
- He played with a tigerish intensity.
Synonyms
- Female tiger (n): The literal synonym.
- Virago (n, often literary/archaic): A domineering, violent, or bad-tempered woman.
- Termagant (n, often literary/archaic): A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman.
- Shrew (n): A woman of violent temper and speech (note: this can be an offensive term).
Related Phrases
- A tigress in the boardroom/bedroom: Idiomatic phrases highlighting ferocity or passion in professional or personal contexts, respectively. These can be clichéd or potentially sexist.
- She was known as a tigress in the boardroom, a formidable negotiator.
Related Idioms
- A paper tiger: Refers to something or someone that appears threatening but is actually ineffectual. This idiom uses "tiger," not "tigress," specifically.
- Their military threats were revealed to be nothing but a paper tiger.
Noun
-
a female tiger
