feline

American  

[fee-lahyn] / ˈfi laɪn /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the cat family, Felidae.

2. catlike; characteristic of animals of the cat family.

   a feline tread.

3. sly, stealthy, or treacherous.

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noun

1. an animal of the cat family.

feline British  

/ fɪˈlɪnɪtɪ, ˈfiːlaɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Felidae , a family of predatory mammals, including cats, lions, leopards, and cheetahs, typically having a round head and retractile claws: order Carnivora (carnivores)

2. resembling or suggestive of a cat, esp in stealth or grace

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noun

1. any animal belonging to the family Felidae ; a cat

feline Scientific  

/ fē′līn′ /

1. Characteristic of or resembling felids.

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Other Word Forms

• felinely adverb
• felineness noun
• felinity noun
• unfeline adjective

Etymology

Origin of feline

1675–85; < Latin fēl ( ēs ) ( see Felis) + -ine ¹; compare Late Latin fēlīneus of a wild cat

Explanation

You can describe your kitten as your young feline friend, since feline describes anything having to do with cats. The adjective feline is useful when you're talking about cats — just as canine describes dogs, and ursine describes bears. You might talk about the special feline food and toys you buy for your pet, or describe his feline beauty. You can even describe a person as feline, if something about him or her is catlike. The Latin root felinus means "of or belonging to a cat," from feles, "cat."

Example Sentences

Although these results come from laboratory-grown tissue and require further testing, they point to a possible treatment strategy for both feline mammary cancer and human breast cancer3.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2026

WSJ | Buy Side: The best cat insurance lets you make medical decisions for your feline based on the optimal treatment, not cost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

The company, founded in 1948, is known for its emblematic sneakers such as the Speedcat and its lunging feline logo, and makes athletic wear, accessories and equipment.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The provincial livestock office had earlier said preliminary tests showed the tigers had been infected with feline parvovirus.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Rather than trample on the innocent feline, Annette attempted to do a little leap over said animal, while balancing about forty-seven cans of cat food in her arms.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick