Lyon

From French Lyon (supplanting earlier Lyons, derived from the Old French nominative form), from the Roman name, Latin Lugdūnum (“fort of Lug”), named after Lugus, a Celtic deity, from Proto-Celtic *Lugus.

• Lions (obsolete)
• Lyons

Lyon

1. The third largest city in France; the capital of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
   • 1964, Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 152:

     Lyon was not a very cheerful town at night. It was a big, heavy, solid-money town, probably fine if you had money and liked that sort of town. For years I had heard about the wonderful chicken in the restaurants there, but we had eaten mutton instead.

   • 2026 February 21, Hugh Schofield, “Killing of nationalist student leaves French far left in deep trouble as elections loom”, in BBC‎^[1], archived from the original on 22 February 2026:

     The question is inescapable following the killing in Lyon of nationalist student Quentin Deranque by suspected far-left militants.

2. A metropolitan authority in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, outside of Rhône department, which includes the city of Lyon and most of its suburbs; in full, the Metropolis of Lyon.
3. A town in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States, named after the French city.

From Middle English lyon (“lion”), as a nickname, or from a sign often used outside of roadside inns and adopted as a family name by those who lived there (compare Bush). Doublet of Leo, leu, lev, and lion.

Lyon

1. A surname transferred from the nickname.
2. An unincorporated community and township in Franklin County, Missouri, United States.
3. A number of other townships in the United States, listed under Lyon Township.

• Lyon County

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Lyon

1. A river in Glen Lyon, Perth and Kinross council area, Scotland, which joins the River Tay; in full, the River Lyon.

• Glen Lyon

• noyl, only, ynol

From Latin Lugdūnum, from Gaulish *Lugudūnon (“fort of Lug”), from the Celtic deity Lugus, from Proto-Celtic *Lugus.

• IPA^(key): /ljɔ̃/, /li.jɔ̃/

• Audio:

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• Audio (France (Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost)):

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• Audio (France (Paris)):

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• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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• Homophone: lion

Lyon m

1. Lyon, Lyons (the capital city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)

• English: Lyon, Lyons

• IPA^(key): /liˈɔ̃/, [liˈɔ̃ː], [liˈɔŋ]

Lyon n (proper noun, genitive Lyons or (optionally with an article) Lyon)

1. Lyon (city in southeastern France)

Lyon f

1. Lyon, Lyons (the capital city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)

• Lyón

From Latin Lugdunum.

• IPA^(key): /ˈljon/ [ˈljõn]
• Rhymes: -on
• Syllabification: Lyon

Lyon m

1. Lyon, Lyons (the capital city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)

   Synonym: (dated) León de Francia

Lyon n

1. Lyon, Lyons (the capital city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)

From French Lyon, q.v. Compare Ottoman Turkish لیون (Liyon).

Lyon

1. Lyon (a city in southeastern France; the capital of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)