cattish

[ kat-ish ]

adjective

1. catlike; feline.
2. spiteful; malicious.

Other Words From

• cattish·ly adverb
• cattish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cattish¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; cat ( def ) + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

She gets to whining and rubbing herself ’gainst my legs, acting cattish!

From Literature

Instead, we have the word “catty”—or, more obscurely, “cattish,” or “cat-witted”—to mean spiteful and small-minded.

From The New Yorker

She had very good hair but grey eyes, that gave her a cattish appearance.

From Project Gutenberg

I had a cattish desire to fight him and let him know his place.

From Project Gutenberg

I don’t like people who write about the stars, and then turn around and say mean, nasty, cattish little things just because they’re jealous.

From Project Gutenberg