1 lair | Definition of lair

lair

noun
\ ˈler How to pronounce lair (audio) \

Definition of lair

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 dialectal British : a resting or sleeping place : bed
2a : the resting or living place of a wild animal : den tracked the bear back to its lair
b : a refuge or place for hiding a villain's lair

lair

verb
laired; lairing; lairs

Definition of lair (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

chiefly Scotland : to cause to sink in mire

intransitive verb

chiefly Scotland : wallow

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Examples of lair in a Sentence

Noun

tracking the bear back to its lair She runs the project from her private lair in the suburbs.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Here’s some good news for rich people, though: if your home is in danger of flooding from sea level rise, Aston Martin is now in the business of building lairs for cars. Sean O'kane, The Verge, "The world’s on fire, and Aston Martin wants to build ‘lairs’ for cars," 19 Aug. 2019 Cats’ sleeping spots soon acquire their scent, allowing predators to track them to their lairs. Joan Morris, The Mercury News, "Why does Pleasanton cat keep changing her sleeping spots?," 24 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lair.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of lair

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for lair

Noun

Middle English, from Old English leger; akin to Old High German legar bed, Old English licgan to lie — more at lie

Verb

Scots lair mire

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More Definitions for lair

lair

noun

English Language Learners Definition of lair

: the place where a wild animal sleeps
: a place where someone hides or where someone goes to be alone and to feel safe or comfortable

lair

noun
\ ˈler How to pronounce lair (audio) \

Kids Definition of lair

: the den or resting place of a wild animal

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More from Merriam-Webster on lair

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with lair

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lair

Spanish Central: Translation of lair

Nglish: Translation of lair for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of lair for Arabic Speakers

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