plural lynx or lynxes
1
: any of several wildcats with relatively long legs, a short stubby tail, mottled coat, and usually tufted ears that are thought to comprise a distinct genus (Lynx) of the cat family or to be part of a genus (Felis) that includes the domestic cat and cougar: such as
a
: a lynx (L. lynx) of northern Europe and Asia
b
: bobcat
c
: a North American lynx (L. canadensis) distinguished from the bobcat by its larger size, longer tufted ears, and wholly black tail tip

called also Canadian lynx

2
Lynx astronomy : a dim northern constellation that is visible between the constellations of Ursa Major and Gemini and that is represented by the figure of a lynx
… Johannes Hevelius named this new constellation Lynx because only an observer with "the eyes of a lynx" could see its faint shape.Richard Berry

Illustration of lynx

Illustration of lynx

Examples of lynx in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Other predators — bobcats, lynx, coyotes, wolves and foxes — may be easier to spot in winter than summer as their dark fur stands out against the snow. Mindy Sink, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2024 According to the team, the positive results of their tests — which involved an assembly of tigers, lions, leopards, lynxes, cougars, cheetahs, and servals, among others — indicate that vocal recognition is not a skill dependent on domestication. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 Unlike lynx, mountain lions don’t have long fur around their paws, so the tracks will be quite distinct. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 7 Feb. 2024 The snowmobile association’s lawsuit said there was almost no evidence that lynx or wolverines inhabit the closed area. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 In a second paper, published in the same journal this week, a different group of researchers demonstrated similar capabilities with both wild and captive Alaskan polar bears and Swedish Eurasian lynx, as well as a captive snow leopard. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 From snow gathered from the animals’ footprints, the team isolated DNA in all the captive samples, 59 percent of the wild lynx samples and 88 percent of the wild polar bear samples. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 The Iberian lynx, for instance, was recently brought back from the edge of extinction thanks to a successful breeding program and measures taken to protect its territory. Catherine Buni, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2023 Oh, look, over there, that lynx is about to pounce and rip out my heart! Weike Wang, The New Yorker, 27 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lynx.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek; akin to Old English lox lynx and probably to Greek leukos white — more at light

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lynx was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lynx

Cite this Entry

“Lynx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lynx. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lynx

noun
plural lynx or lynxes
1
: a large North American wildcat with rather long legs, a short stubby black-tipped tail, a coat marked with spots and blotches, soft fur, ears with small bunches of long fur at the tip, and large padded feet

called also Canada lynx

2
: any of several related wildcats (as the bobcat)

More from Merriam-Webster on lynx

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