Meanings
- 1
Thesaurus
Synonyms
1
noun
· any of several medium-sized...
wildcat
Word family
Derived forms
lynxlike
Related forms
bobcatCanada lynxEurasian lynxcaracal
Simplified etymology
Lynx, recorded in English from the Middle English period, comes from Latin lynx. The same Latin word ultimately lies behind ounce as a name for the snow leopard, although ounce reached English through a differently altered medieval French form.
Etymology
From Middle English lynx, through Latin lynx from Greek lynx, the ancient name of the animal. The deeper origin is uncertain, though it has often been connected with an Indo-European root meaning 'light' or 'brightness' because of the cat's shining eyes.