cat
noun
cat
1 American
[kat]
/ kæt /
noun
-
cats
plural
-
a small domesticated carnivore, Felis domestica or F. catus, bred in a number of varieties.
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any of several carnivores of the family Felidae, such as the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, etc.
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Older Slang.
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a person, especially a man.
I'll admit that I'm not the hippest cat in town but even I know that show.
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a devotee of jazz.
That cat's got a great ear, but he can't sing or play himself.
-
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a woman given to spiteful or malicious gossip.
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Games.
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Chiefly British. the game of tipcat, or the tapering piece of wood used in the game.
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a catboat.
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a catamaran.
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a catfish.
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Obsolete. the fur of the domestic cat.
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Nautical. a tackle used in hoisting an anchor to the cathead, a projecting timber or metal beam where the anchor is secured.
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a double tripod having six legs but resting on only three no matter how it is set down, usually used before or over a fire.
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Navy Informal. catapult.
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(in medieval warfare) a movable shelter for providing protection when approaching a fortification.
verb (used with object)
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cats,
present (3rd person singular)
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catted,
past participle, past
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catting
present participle
-
to flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails.
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Nautical. to hoist (an anchor) and secure to a cathead, a projecting timber or metal beam where the anchor is secured.
verb (used without object)
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cats,
present (3rd person singular)
-
catted,
past participle, past
-
catting
present participle
verb phrase
idioms
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look like something the cat dragged in, to look tired, unkempt, ugly, etc..
You look like something the cat dragged in—go have a shower and a nap.
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the cat that ate / swallowed / got the canary, someone who is self-satisfied, proud, or pleased.
She won the contest by a hair and walked around like the cat that ate the canary for the rest of the month.
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bell the cat, to attempt something formidable or dangerous.
The question at the moment is who will bell the cat, since nobody on the board is willing to tell the CEO she's fired.
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rain cats and dogs. rain.
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curiosity killed the cat. curiosity.
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cat got your tongue?, (used to ask why someone is not speaking).
You've been awfully quiet—cat got your tongue?
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let the cat out of the bag, to divulge a secret, especially inadvertently or carelessly.
He let the cat out of the bag, and the surprise party wasn't a surprise after all.
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look what the cat dragged in, (used to acknowledge someone's arrival while implying that they look bad or are unwelcome).
Darn it, he's here. Look what the cat dragged in!
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enough to make a cat laugh, very funny, outrageous, or absurd.
Hearing these politicians talk about the lives of everyday people is enough to make a cat laugh.
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fight like cats and dogs. fight.
Cat
2
American
[kat]
/ kæt /
Trademark.
CAT
3
American
-
clear-air turbulence.
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Medicine/Medical. computerized axial tomography.
cat.
4
American
abbreviation
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catalog; catalogue.
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catechism.
cat
1
British
/ kæt /
noun
-
Also called: domestic cat. a small domesticated feline mammal, Felis catus (or domesticus ), having thick soft fur and occurring in many breeds in which the colour of the fur varies greatly: kept as a pet or to catch rats and mice
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Also called: big cat. any of the larger felines, such as a lion or tiger
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any wild feline mammal of the genus Felis, such as the lynx or serval, resembling the domestic cat
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old-fashioned a woman who gossips maliciously
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slang a man; guy
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nautical a heavy tackle for hoisting an anchor to the cathead
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a short sharp-ended piece of wood used in the game of tipcat
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short for catboat
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informal short for Caterpillar
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short for cat-o'-nine-tails
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informal a bad-tempered person
she's a real bag of cats this morning
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to fight until both parties are destroyed
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to disclose a secret, often by mistake
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in an uneasy or agitated state
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quarrelling savagely
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to appear dishevelled or bedraggled
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no chance at all
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to have very little space
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to play with a person or animal in a cruel or teasing way, esp before a final act of cruelty or unkindness
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to introduce some violently disturbing new element
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to rain very heavily
verb
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(tr) to flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails
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(tr) nautical to hoist (an anchor) to the cathead
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(intr) a slang word for vomit
cat
2
British
/ kæt /
noun
adjective
CAT
3
British
abbreviation
-
computer-aided teaching
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computer-assisted trading
cat.
4
British
abbreviation
-
catalogue
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catamaran
cat
5
British
/ kæt /
noun
cat
More Idioms
Usage
Where does the word cat come from? While cats may be more enigmatic and reclusive than dogs in real life, when it comes to the source of the word cat, it’s a bit easier to grasp. The origin of the word dog is one of the great mysteries of English etymology. Learn why in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From."The word cat is recorded in Old English, and hasn't changed much since. (Hey, if it isn’t broken why fix it?) The masculine form was catt, the feminine catte. The word cat is most likely related to the Late Latin cattus, source of some other cat words you may have heard, including the Spanish gato and French chat. Now that you know how cats got their name, why not find out how some of our other most beloved pets got theirs in the slideshow: "Where Do The Words For Our Pets Come From?"
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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catsimple
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catssimple
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have cattedperfect
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has cattedperfect
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am cattingprogressive
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are cattingprogressive
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is cattingprogressive
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have been cattingperfect progressive
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has been cattingperfect progressive
Past
-
cattedsimple
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had cattedperfect
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was cattingprogressive
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were cattingprogressive
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had been cattingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cat
First recorded before 900; Middle English cat, catte, Old English catt (masculine), catte (feminine); cognate with Old Frisian, Middle Dutch katte, Old High German kazza, Old Norse kǫttr; akin to Late Latin cattus, catta (first recorded in the 4th century, presumably with the introduction of domestic cats); further origin uncertain
Explanation
What's another name for the four-legged feline that lies around on your keyboard all day and purrs? You might call it “Fluffy,” but it’s also known as a cat. If you’re in the market for a pet cat, just make sure it meows, and doesn’t roar like the lion, tiger, or jaguar, all of which are in the same family as the housecat. Domesticated as long ago as ancient Egyptian times, the cat is a fixture not only in many homes, but also in a host of English expressions — like, “when the cat’s away, the mice will play,” “it’s raining cats and dogs,” and “the cat’s pajamas.”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Cole's vocal tics tend to include the names of her husband, her son or the family cat or random phrases such as "good night" during the day time.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Tractor Supply has been doubling down on its pet business, recently acquiring veterinary services business VIP Petcare and last week announcing an expanded assortment of dog and cat products, as examples.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Ginger and white cat Fruitcake slept on top of my sleeping bag, with my legs tucked inside.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The company is creating a pet ecosystem in which pet owners can do everything from buy dog food and cat toys to wash their pets and consult a veterinarian.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
“You dirty rat, Russell,” he hollered, spitting like a cat.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Cat Razzell is speaking about her mother, Linda, who disappeared on her way to work in Swindon in March 2002 when Cat was just 13.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Cat mugs sold in his name have raised about £80 for the Coventry Foodbank project "and there's more to come", Dunkley said.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
“If you put all those ferns in, it might give the impression that people didn’t have very much taste,” explained “The Shards” production designer Cat Smith.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
FreshFarm, which runs dozens of farmers markets in the Washington, D.C., area, has seen a 30% increase in foot traffic since early July, according to Cat Oakar, the group’s executive director.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Cat was blocks away and he still called after her.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
According to the DHS, Rodelo had been issued with a "final order of removal for violating the terms of his parole" in February, the month he says he was granted CAT protection.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
The latter includes makers of memory chips, hard drives, fiber-optic cabling and even power generators—Caterpillar’s CAT -0.21%decrease; red down pointing triangle 34% gain so far this year is leading the Dow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
Yates was hospitalized multiple times and underwent CAT scans and MRIs, her husband said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026
He ordered a barrage of tests — according to Partridge she had two MRIs, two EEGs, a SPECT, a CAT scan and a spinal tap, as well as more than a dozen different antibody tests.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026
She had never been a good student, but now she thrived in the CAT classes.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
"It's not going to happen in every cat. Some kittens are going to grow up just fine," she said.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2024
“If you’re curious about it, be a curious cat. Go find out. There’s a lot of ways to get into this industry. There is always going to be work.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2024
"It's a cat. You don't eat a cat," he added.
From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2023
“He would move around the room like a cat. He knew those sculptures better than he knew his family.”
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2023
“Ouu, I hate that cat. She always does this.”
From "Fourth Grade Rats" by Jerry Spinelli
Euthanasia of cats — those more than 8 weeks old — saw a 32% increase compared with the same time last year with 1,142 killed through June.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
The idea of hosting a slumber party, she said, was inspired in part by the 2006 movie “Night at the Museum,” except with cats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
In the main lounge, cats like Fruitcake and Seer’s lookalike kitten brother, Oracle, surrounded us as we created paper fortune tellers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
It hosts watercolor paint nights with its cats and art fundraisers for the nonprofit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
“Get away!” he would say, and he would chase off the cats, the birds, the occasional mouse or rat on the underground.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
Last week, he was catted by the Association of German Friends of Cats, and by Herr Victor Fraenkl, chairman of the German League for Animal Rights, one of the Association's principal spokesmen.
From Time Magazine Archive
We paid out on the chain by which we swung, hove in on the other, catted the anchor, and hove short on the first.
From Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana
In about half an hour, which was near high water, the order was given to man the windlass, and again the anchor was catted; but not a word was said about the last time.
From Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana
Before the sun was fairly clear of the sea, the anchor had been catted, and the Queen was moving gracefully northeastward under snowy topsails.
From The Black Buccaneer by Stephen W. (Stephen Warren) Meader
And then word came from the captain, demanding to know what the delay was about in getting the anchor catted, so that the Georgetown might proceed.
From Two Boys of the Battleship or For the Honor of Uncle Sam by Frank V. Webster
He was a Viet Nam Vet who had been "catting" on the city streets for years.
From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2016
The lads up front have got their sprint on at the top and after some catting and mousing they finish the San Mauro Cilento in the following order: Wauters, Boaro and Taborre.
From The Guardian ● May 6, 2013
We’ve been laying our voices down, catting and scatting, and following variations of the same notes for so long we didn’t always know we were doing it.
From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia
While those who were stationed on the top-gallant forecastle were engaged in catting and fishing the anchor, those who had been assigned to places on the topsail and top-gallant yards were sent aloft.
From Down the Rhine Young America in Germany by Oliver Optic
“Do you mean to tell me that any more people have come catting to-day?” demanded Winona.
From Winona of the Camp Fire by Margaret Widdemer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
