The word "tiger cub" is spelled as /ˈtaɪɡər kʌb/. The first sound, "t", is followed by "i" pronounced as /aɪ/, and then "g" pronounced as /ɡ/. The vowel sound in "er" is pronounced as /ə/, and the final sound in "tiger" is "r" pronounced as /r/. The word "cub" begins with the consonant sound "k" pronounced as /k/, followed by the vowel sound "u" pronounced as /ʌ/ and ends with the consonant sound "b" pronounced as /b/. This is how the word "tiger cub" is spelled and pronounced in English.
The term "tiger cub" is commonly used to refer to a young or juvenile tiger. It is derived from the combination of two words: "tiger," which is a large carnivorous mammal of the Felidae family and a member of the Panthera genus, and "cub," which denotes the offspring of certain animals, particularly large carnivorous mammals.
A tiger cub specifically refers to a tiger that is in the early stage of its life, typically between the ages of birth and two years. At this stage, tiger cubs are smaller in size compared to adult tigers, and they possess distinct physical characteristics. These include a fluffy and soft coat that typically features a variety of patterns (such as stripes and spots), which aids in their camouflage. Tiger cubs have a rounder face, shorter body length, and underdeveloped physical abilities compared to their fully grown counterparts.
During their cubhood, tiger cubs are solely dependent on their mother for care and sustenance. They are nurtured and protected within the safety of their mother's territory until they are capable of hunting and surviving independently. Tiger cubs typically learn essential survival skills such as hunting techniques and social behaviors from their mother during this period.
The term "tiger cub" is also metaphorically used to signify the young and upcoming members of a particular group or organization. This analogy is often employed in the financial industry to describe emerging economies, markets, or hedge funds with substantial growth potential but may also carry higher risks.
The etymology of the word "tiger cub" can be understood by examining the origins of its individual components:
1. Tiger: The word "tiger" comes ultimately from the Greek word "tigris", which was borrowed from an unknown source, possibly of Iranian origin. From Greek, it passed into Latin as "tigris" and then into Old English as "tiger". The term "tigris" was originally used to refer to the Caspian tiger, an extinct subspecies of tiger native to the region encompassing Iran, Iraq, and parts of Central Asia. Over time, the word "tiger" has come to represent all species of large, carnivorous cats belonging to the Panthera genus, including the Bengal tiger, Siberian tiger, and Sumatran tiger.