lyon

plural lyons

1. obsoleteObsolete spelling of lion.

   Furious as a lyon the fitt comes one, but retires gentle as a lamb.

   1734, William Stukeley, Of the Gout, J. Roberts, page 103

   2 more examples

   The lyon chose his mate, the turtle dove / Her deare, the dolphin his owne dolphinet

   1595, Ed. Spencer [i.e., Edmund Spenser], “Colin Clouts Come Home Againe”, in Colin Clouts Come Home Againe, London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

   The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bolde as a lyon.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 28:1

alternative obsolete Lions · alternative Lyons

1. The third largest city in France; the capital of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

   The question is inescapable following the killing in Lyon of nationalist student Quentin Deranque by suspected far-left militants.

   2026 February 21, Hugh Schofield, “Killing of nationalist student leaves French far left in deep trouble as elections loom”, in BBC, archived from the original on 22 Feb 2026

   1 more example

   Lyon was not a very cheerful town at night. It was a big, heavy, solid-money town, probably fine if you had money and liked that sort of town. For years I had heard about the wonderful chicken in the restaurants there, but we had eaten mutton instead.

   1964, Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 152

2. A metropolitan authority in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, outside of Rhône department, which includes the city of Lyon and most of its suburbs; in full, the Metropolis of Lyon.
3. A town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States, named after the French city.

1. A surname transferred from the nickname.
2. An unincorporated community and township in Franklin County, Missouri, United States.
3. A number of other townships in the United States, listed under Lyon Township.

1. A river in Glen Lyon, Perth and Kinross council area, Scotland, which joins the River Tay; in full, the River Lyon.