lair

Meanings

Noun

• A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground.
• A shed or shelter for domestic animals.
• A place inhabited by a criminal or criminals, a superhero or a supervillain; a refuge, retreat, haven or hideaway.
• A bed or resting place.
• A grave; a cemetery plot.
• A bog; a mire.
• A person who dresses in a showy but tasteless manner and behaves in a vulgar and conceited way; a show-off.

Verb

• To rest; to dwell.
• To lay down.
• To bury.
• To mire.
• To become mired.

Related

Similar words

• burrow , den , holt
• den, hide-out

Origin

• From Middle English leir, leire, lair, lare, from Old English leġer, from Proto-Germanic *legrą, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.
• From Old Norse leir ("clay, mud"). Compare Icelandic leir ("clay").
• Backformation from lairy#Etymology 2.