A lynx (/ˈlɪŋks/; plural lynx or lynxes) is any of the four species within the Lynx genus of medium-sized wild cats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from the Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes.Neither the caracal, sometimes called the desert lynx, nor the jungle cat, called the jungle lynx, is a member of the Lynx genus.