noun
lair
LAIR/ler/
A secluded dwelling or hideout, especially for a wild animal.
The fox rests in its sheltered lair beneath exposed roots.
Etymology
Old English leger meant a place for lying down, such as a bed. That resting-place sense developed into an animal's den, which also supplies the image behind a person's secret hideout.
In context
This is the lion's lair! This is the ambush zone.
More examples
- Tracks led toward the lair.
- Several lairs lay along the hillside.
- The detectives discovered the gang's lair.
Forms
lair · lairs
Similar words
- den
- Usually an animal's shelter rather than a secret hideout.
- hideout
- Emphasizes concealment, especially from pursuit.