What is the Latin word for lioness?

The usual Latin words for “lioness” are leaena, lea. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“lioness” in Latin

leaenalioness leaa lioness

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

lioness

leaena (lea, poetical): leo femina (Plaut., in Fragm. ap. Philarg. ad V. Ecl., 2, 63).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for lioness?: The usual Latin words for “lioness” are leaena, lea. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.