tiger
/ˈtaɪ.ɡər/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
tígris — tiger
Overview
Meaning Now
- A large carnivorous feline mammal (Panthera tigris) native to Asia, having a tawny coat with transverse black stripes.
Literal older meaning
An arrow; a swift animal
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
tigre
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The name of the tiger is etymologically linked to the Tigris River, likely deriving from Old Persian 'tigra-' meaning 'sharp' or 'pointed', referring to the river's fast current, which the Greeks associated with the speed of the animal.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
tígris
“tiger”
Borrowed from an Old Persian source referring to the Tigris river due to speed.
- Latin
tigris
“tiger”
- Old French
tigre
“tiger”
- Middle English
tigre
“tiger”
- Modern English
tiger
“tiger”
Connections
Word parts
tiger
root
tiger
Related across languages
French
tigre
tiger
German
tiger
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.