# lioness

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlaɪ.ə.nɪs/ · frequency rank #39,397

## Definitions
1. A female lion (animal).
2. A female lion (famous person regarded with interest and curiosity).
3. A female visitor to a student at Oxford, especially during commemoration week.

## Etymology
From Middle English leonesse, lyonesse, from Old French leonesse, lionesse; equivalent to lion + -ess.

## Easily confused with
- **lines** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lines-vs-lioness)
- **Lionel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lionel-vs-lioness)
- **likeness** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/likeness-vs-lioness)

## Common misspellings (8)
`iloness`, `linoess`, `lioenss`, `liones`, `lionness`, `lionses`, `llioness`, `loiness`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lioness