puma
/ˈpuma/masculine
The English word cougar is translated into Spanish as puma. Wiktionary also lists león de montaña and león bayo.
Meaning: Puma concolor (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| puma | /ˈpuma/ | masculine |
| león de montaña | /leon de montaɲa/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| león bayo | /leon baʝo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| onza bermeja | /onθa beɾmexa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /onsa beɾmexa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| león americano | /leon ameɾikano/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| león montañero | /leon montaɲeɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| león montañés | /leon montaɲes/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
All the terms provided refer to the animal *Puma concolor*.
Which one should you use?
león de montaña serves as a literal translation of 'mountain lion', though it is less common than puma.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to use puma to refer to the cougar. In Colombia, the term león americano is sometimes used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms provided are: puma (masculine), león de montaña (masculine), león bayo (masculine), onza bermeja (feminine), león americano (masculine), león montañero (masculine) and león montañés (masculine).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpuma/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- El puma vive en las montañas.The cougar lives in the mountains.
- Vimos un puma en el bosque.We saw a cougar in the forest.
- Ese puma es muy grande.That cougar is very large.
Example conversation
Javier and María are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- María¿Es ese un puma?Is that a cougar?
- JavierSí, es un puma muy rápido.Yes, it is a very fast cougar.
- MaríaMe da miedo ese animal.That animal scares me.
- JavierNo te preocupes, María, estamos en casa.Don't worry, María, we are at home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cougar” translations and entries puma, león de montaña, león americano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bayo, de, león, montaña, onza, puma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
