lair

/lɛər/

/lɛə/

Other forms: lairs

A lair is a wild animal's den. If you ever find yourself in a forest and face to face with a bear trying to lure you into his lair, beware! He may be plotting to eat you.

The noun lair has its roots in the Old English leger, meaning "bed; place where one lies down." It eventually became the word for an animal's den in the early 15th century. A person can have a lair, too. An evil genius might have a lair where he plots his next crime, for example, while a less scary person might have a cozy lair lined with plush carpet and shelves of books.

Definitions of lair

1. noun

   the habitation of wild animals
   synonyms: den

   type of:

   habitation

   the native habitat or home of an animal or plant
2. noun

   a hiding place, especially a hideout used by outlaws
   synonyms: den, hideaway, hideout

   type of:

   hiding place

   a place suitable for hiding something (such as yourself)