snow leopard

noun

: a large cat (Panthera uncia synonym Uncia uncia) of upland central Asia with long heavy grayish-white fur irregularly marked with brownish-black spots, rosettes, and rings

Illustration of snow leopard

Illustration of snow leopard

Examples of snow leopard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The album’s cover features a snow leopard, a symbol in South Asia that’s meant to convey how his heritage inspired the project. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026 The Frozen Ark, a charity, has amassed 48,000 samples, the majority DNA, including the snow leopard and the Scimitar Horned Oryx (a species extinct in the wild), between multiple sites in the UK. Tom Page, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026 Munier, who made his name capturing images of arctic wolves in northern Canada and snow leopards in Tibet, reveals his appreciation for this ancient landscape and its wildlife. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026 Continue reading … SNAP ATTACK – Skier suffers brutal mauling after stepping within 10 feet of snow leopard for photo. FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for snow leopard

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snow leopard was in 1866

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Cite this Entry

“Snow leopard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snow%20leopard. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

snow leopard

noun
: a large cat of central Asia with long heavy grayish white fur marked with brownish black spots and rings

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