cougar

Everyday

1. A cougar is a large wild cat of North and South America, with brown fur and a long tail; it is also called a puma or mountain lion. tree →
2. (rude, adult slang) a rude word grown-ups use; not for school. tree →

In the lessons

In science and geography, cougars are top predators in mountains and forests of the Americas, from Canada to Chile; they hunt deer and are mostly shy of people. Safety in cougar country: stay in a group, keep small children close, and never run from one — stand tall and make noise.

Examples

• The cougar crept silently through the rocks. tree →
• A cougar is also called a puma or a mountain lion. tree →
• Cougars hunt deer in the mountains of Canada. tree →
• The sign in the park said: «Cougar country — keep children close». tree →
• A cougar can leap higher than a basketball hoop. tree →
• We saw a cougar at the zoo, sleeping in the sun. tree →

Note

Countable: one cougar, two cougars. Cougar, puma and mountain lion are all the same animal; it is not a lion and does not roar.