What is a female lion called?

A female lion is called a lioness.

“Lioness” is the standard English term for an adult female of the species Panthera leo, while “lion” can refer to the species generally or, in everyday contrast, to a male. Adult males are typically distinguished by their manes, though mane size varies with age, health and population.

Lionesses are central to pride life. Prides usually consist of related females, their cubs and one or more adult males. Females often cooperate in hunting and may care for cubs within the social group, making the lioness an important part of the pride’s hunting and reproductive structure.

A common mistake is to use “queen” as the animal’s biological term. Queen can describe a female in some domesticated or social-animal contexts, but it is not the standard name for a female lion. “Lioness” is the single canonical answer. The related term “cub” describes a young lion of either sex, not specifically a female.