leon

noun

1. a male given name, form of Leo.

noun

1. a province in NW Spain: formerly a kingdom. 5936 sq. mi. (15,375 sq. km).
2. the capital of this province.
3. a city in W Guanajuato, in central Mexico.
4. a city in W Nicaragua: the former capital.

noun

1. a region and former kingdom of NW Spain, which united with Castile in 1230
2. a city of NW Spain: capital of the kingdom of León (10th century). Pop: 135 634 (2003 est)
3. a city in central Mexico, in W Guanajuato state: commercial centre of a rich agricultural region. Pop: 1 438 000 (2005 est)Official name: León de los Aldamas (de los ˈaldamas)
4. a city in W Nicaragua: one of the oldest towns of Central America, founded in 1524; capital of Nicaragua until 1855; university (1812). Pop: 168 000 (2005 est)

medieval kingdom in northwestern Spain, said to be from Latin legionis (septimae) “of the Seventh Legion,” which was founded in Spain in 65 B.C.E.; the name probably then conformed to Spanish leon “lion.” Related: Leonese.