catnip

noun

cat·​nip ˈkat-ˌnip 

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

Examples of catnip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her blend of bombshell and backlash is near lethal catnip for producers. —Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025

In this instance, the catnip made Poppy obsessed with her pillow. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025

Her performance was chill-inducing catnip for Broadway lovers. —Melissa Locker, Time, 9 June 2025

Kaspersky warns that cybercriminals exploit the need for immediacy, crafting a sense of urgency that’s catnip for this powerful generation of shoppers in particular, and leaves them at risk. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

catnip

noun

cat·​nip -ˌnip 

: a strong-scented herb of the mint family that is especially attractive to cats

Medical Definition

catnip

noun

cat·​nip -ˌnip 

variants also catnep

-ˌnep, -nəp 

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 sense 2