Definition of "cougar"

cougar

/ˈkuːɡə/

noun
plural cougars
1. Puma concolor, a wild feline native to the Americas.
  Quotations
  They are found in Brasil, Paraguay, and in the country of the Amazons; and there is reason to believe that the animal, described by some travellers, under the name of the Ocorome, in Peru, is the same as the cougar, as well as that in the country of the Iroquois, which has been considered as a tiger, thought it is neither striped like that animal, nor spotted like the panther.
  1792, Georges-Louis Leclerc, anonymous translator, Buffon's Natural History, volume 7, London: Printed by J.S. Barr, Bridges-Street, Covent-Garden, translation of original in French
  The Cougar has entirely disappeared, or is very rarely met with. This animal was about the size of the wolf, of a gray color, strong, active, fierce and untameable.
  1831, Francis Smith Eastman, A history of the state of New York
  The only indigenous long tailed cat in America north of the parallel of 30 degrees is the cougar. The wild cats, so called, are lynxes with short tails; and of these there are three distinct species.
  1854, “The cougar, and an adventure with one”, in The Anglo-American Magazine, volume 4, page 84
  Winter’s task was to illustrate cougars—also known as mountain lions—in an urban environment. His research led him to biologist Jeff Sikich, whose work with a mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area on the outskirts of L.A. seemed promising.
  2013 November 14, Alexa Keefe, Steve Winter, “A Cougar Ready for His Closeup”, in National Geographic‎, archived from the original on 2021-03-01
2. (Canada, US, slang) An older woman who actively seeks the casual, often sexual, companionship of younger men, by implication a female “sexual predator”.
  Quotations
  Barney Stinson: She's a cougar, Ted! / Robin Scherbatsky: I thought you said you can't be a cougar if you're over 50.
  2010, “Home Wreckers”, in How I Met Your Mother, season 5, episode 20 (television production)
  “Younger can be good. How much younger?” Regina asked, inspecting the appetizer plates for any lingering bites. “I don't know,” Alexa said frowning. “Why does that matter?” “Less than eight years makes you a Puma. Over eight years makes you a Cougar,” Regina said wisely, grinning as Lauren nodded excitedly in agreement.
  2011, Donna McDonald, Dating A Cougar