A wild animal's resting place or den, especially of a large predator. It can also refer metaphorically to a person's private retreat or hideout.
From Old English 'leger' meaning a lying place or bed, related to the verb 'lie' (to recline). Connected to German 'Lager' (camp) and the concept of a place where one lies down to rest.
While we typically associate lairs with villains and dangerous animals, the word originally just meant any resting place. The sinister connotation developed through literature and folklore, where dragons, wolves, and evil characters were depicted as retreating to dark lairs - transforming a neutral term into something threatening.
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