lionize

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/ UK /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #270286

Meanings

1

verb
to treat someone as a celebrity or person of exceptional importance and give them conspicuous social attention

Society hostesses began to lionize the young painter after his first successful exhibition.
2

verb
dated: to visit and admire the notable sights of a place

The visitors spent the afternoon lionizing the monuments of Rome.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to treat someone as a... celebrate idolize fetêmake much of

2 verb · dated: to visit and admire... sightseetour

Opposites

ignore shun disparage

Word family

Derived forms lionizedlionizinglionizationlionizer

Related forms lion celebrity fame

Etymology

From lion + -ize. Eighteenth-century English called a famous or fashionable person a lion, as though they were a public attraction; lionize consequently meant to show such a person around, court them socially, or treat them as a celebrity.

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# lionize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 270286

## Meanings
1. to treat someone as a celebrity or person of exceptional importance and give them conspicuous social attention
2. dated: to visit and admire the notable sights of a place

## Examples
- Society hostesses began to lionize the young painter after his first successful exhibition.
- The visitors spent the afternoon lionizing the monuments of Rome.

## Synonyms
- celebrate
- idolize
- make much of

## Antonyms
- ignore
- shun
- disparage

## Derived Forms
- lionized
- lionizing
- lionization
- lionizer

## Related Forms
- lion
- celebrity
- fame

## Etymology
From lion + -ize. Eighteenth-century English called a famous or fashionable person a lion, as though they were a public attraction; lionize consequently meant to show such a person around, court them socially, or treat them as a celebrity.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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