rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycatFeline animal
noun

cat

KAT/kæt/

A member of the feline family.

The tabby cat stretches its front paws and raises its tail.

A domestic gray tabby cat stretches lazily with front paws extended and tail raised, natural anatomy and whiskers; plain white ground with no accessories or writing.
Etymology
catLatindomestic cat

Latin cattus already named the domestic cat, so the familiar pet sense preserves the old meaning. The word’s deeper ancestry is probably Afro-Asiatic.

In context

The Scottish Parliament91:39
risk a huge explosion not my word an explosion of the cat population that brings with it potential for unvaccinated cats
Public Petitions Committee - 7 December 2017

More examples

  • A wild cat slips through the long grass.
  • The shelter finds homes for abandoned cats.
  • The jazz musician calls his old friends the coolest cats in town.

Forms

cat · cats

Similar words

feline
The broader descriptive term for members of the cat family.
kitten
A young cat rather than an adult.