Synonyms for cat

Grammar : Noun

Spell : kat

Phonetic Transcription : kæt

Top 10 synonyms for cat

Other synonyms for the word cat

Définition of cat

Origin : Old English catt (c.700), from West Germanic (c.400-450), from Proto-Germanic *kattuz (cf. Old Frisian katte, Old Norse köttr, Dutch kat, Old High German kazza, German Katze), from Late Latin cattus.
The near-universal European word now, it appeared in Europe as Latin catta (Martial, c.75 C.E.), Byzantine Greek katta (c.350) and was in general use on the continent by c.700, replacing Latin feles. Probably ultimately Afro-Asiatic (cf. Nubian kadis, Berber kadiska, both meaning "cat"). Arabic qitt "tomcat" may be from the same source. Cats were domestic in Egypt from c.2000 B.C.E., but not a familiar household animal to classical Greeks and Romans. The nine lives have been proverbial since at least 1560s.
The Late Latin word also is the source of Old Irish and Gaelic cat, Welsh kath, Breton kaz, Italian gatto, Spanish gato, French chat (12c.). Independent, but ultimately from the same source are words in the Slavic group: Old Church Slavonic kotuka, kotel'a, Bulgarian kotka, Russian koška, Polish kot, along with Lithuanian kate and non-Indo-European Finnish katti, which is from Lithuanian.
Extended to lions, tigers, etc. c.1600. As a term of contempt for a woman, from early 13c. Slang sense of "prostitute" is from at least c.1400. Slang sense of "fellow, guy," is from 1920, originally in U.S. Black English; narrower sense of "jazz enthusiast" is recorded from 1931.
Cat's paw (1769, but cat's foot in the same sense, 1590s) refers to old folk tale in which the monkey tricks the cat into pawing chestnuts from a fire; the monkey gets the nuts, the cat gets a burnt paw. Cat bath "hurried or partial cleaning" is from 1953. Cat burglar is from 1907, so called for stealth. Cat-witted "small-minded, obstinate, and spiteful" (1670s) deserved to survive. For Cat's meow, cat's pajamas, see bee's knees.

noun feline animal, sometimes a pet

Example sentences :

Their cat came over the garden wall and bit off the blades of the irises.
Extract from : « Life and Death of Harriett Frean » by May Sinclair

Some of the dignity of his retreat was lost by the fact that the cat followed him, close at his heels.
Extract from : « K » by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Reminds me of a cat'mount I tried to tame once, only he's twice as ugly.
Extract from : « The Underdog » by F. Hopkinson Smith

He stroked the cat, poked the fire, had his lunch served to him there.
Extract from : « The Secret Agent » by Joseph Conrad

An elderly lady whom you do not happen to like; sometimes called, also, a hen, or cat.
Extract from : « The Devil's Dictionary » by Ambrose Bierce

Such a cat should have been embalmed for the benefit of posterity.
Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 15, July 9, 1870 » by Various

But let the cat once touch its sought-for, and I assure you there is no love lost.
Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 15, July 9, 1870 » by Various

Rechid was only their cat's-paw, thinking he played his own hand.
Extract from : « It Happened in Egypt » by C. N. Williamson

He drew forward the chair left vacant by the cat, and beat up the cushion.
Extract from : « Tiverton Tales » by Alice Brown

Lockwood continued to watch Duncan with the air of a cat eyeing a mouse.
Extract from : « The Fortune Hunter » by Louis Joseph Vance

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019