leopard skin
- noun
:
piel de leopardo
- In the traditional ceremony, the chief wore a leopard skin cloak to signify his high status.
Examples
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You've got the Nibbians wearing their leopard skins and you've got the Egyptians wearing colourful garments so you can tell who is who.
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Above the boyar's head was the huge bare spot where the leopard skin had been.
Fiction book (2000) -
"Not that big." D'Cey nodded at the leopard skin on the wall.
Fiction book (2000) -
He hurried over, afraid the girl meant to harm herself; instead, he found her calmly stuffing the huge leopard skin into the fireplace.
Fiction book (2000) -
You've got the Nibbians wearing their leopard skins and you've got the Egyptians wearing colourful garments so you can tell who is who.
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During the festival, dancers showcased their elaborate outfits, featuring vibrant leopard skin garments.
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The museum exhibit included a rare leopard skin that was used by ancient tribal leaders as a symbol of authority.
Synonyms
509
1.0
The skin of an animal made smooth and used to make items like shoes and bags
26
2.5
A warm coat made from animal hair to wear in cold weather
4
2.0
The outer layer of an animal's body that people remove and use for leather or fur
1
6.4
A wolf's skin that people use to make warm clothes or a rug
How Prestigious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the spotted fur or pelt of a leopard, or a fabric/pattern that resembles it' follows directly from combining 'leopard' (the animal) and 'skin' (the external covering), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the referent. The figurative extension to a fabric or pattern is a straightforward and common descriptive transfer across languages, reinforcing full compositional transparency.
Etymology
Leopard skin originally meant a cloak made from a leopard's skin, the spotted fur that chiefs wore in some African cultures. The bold spots showed power and rank, so wearing a leopard skin came to mean 'high status'.