catnip

cat·nip

noun \-ˌnip\

Definition of CATNIP

1

: a strong-scented perennial mint (Nepeta cataria) that has whorls of small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats

2

: something very attractive

Origin of CATNIP

¹cat + obsolete nep catnip, from Middle English, from Old English nepte, from Latin nepeta

First Known Use: 1712

Rhymes with CATNIP

airship, airstrip, atrip, backflip, blue-chip, call slip, chiefship, cleft lip, clerkship, corn chip, courtship, cowslip, deanship, death grip, drag strip, dress ship, ear clip, equip, felt-tip, fieldstrip, field trip, filmstrip, fireship, flagship, foul tip, friendship, frostnip, guildship, guilt-trip, gunship, half-slip, handgrip, hardship, harelip, headship, horsewhip, inclip, judgeship, jump ship, kingship, kinship, landslip, let rip, lightship, longship, lordship, Mendip, nonslip, outstrip, oxlip, palship, pink slip, pip-pip, princeship, Q-ship, queenship, roach clip, road trip, rose hip, round-trip, saintship, sales slip, sea whip, sideslip, spaceship, starship, steamship, storeship, strike-slip, take ship, tall ship, thaneship, township, transship, troopship, unship, unzip, V-chip, wardship, warship, white chip, wing tip

cat·nip

noun \-ˌnip\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of CATNIP

1

: a strong-scented mint (Nepeta cataria) that has small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats—called also cataria, catmint

2

: cataria 2

Variants of CATNIP

cat·nip also cat·nep \-ˌnep, -nəp\ (audio pronunciation)

catnip

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Catnip (Nepeta cataria).—Walter Chandoha

Aromatic herb (Nepeta cataria) of the mint family. Catnip has spikes of small, purple-dotted flowers. It has been used as a seasoning and as a medicinal tea for colds and fever. Because its mintlike flavour and aroma are particularly exciting to domestic cats, it is often used as a stuffing for cat toys.

Variants of CATNIP

catnip or catmint