scat

1 of 5

verb (1)

scatted; scatting

intransitive verb

1
: to go away quickly
2
: to move fast : scoot

scat

2 of 5

noun (1)

: animal fecal droppings
For many animals, particularly predatory ones, scat is a calling card that marks territory and leaves information.Terri Schlichenmeyer

scat

3 of 5

noun (2)

: jazz singing with nonsense syllables

scat

4 of 5

verb (2)

scatted; scatting

intransitive verb

: to improvise nonsense syllables usually to an instrumental accompaniment : sing scat

SCAT

5 of 5

abbreviation

1
School and College Ability Test
2
supersonic commercial air transport

Examples of scat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The film directed by Mike Roth is clearly a labor of love for all concerned, with enough Easter eggs and in-jokes to please even the most ardent Batman enthusiasts, including one referencing George Clooney’s nipple-featuring Batsuit and Bruce and Damian happily scatting the Batman TV show theme. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Dec. 2023 The site noted, however, that Bono seemed to be improvising or scatting in spots, indicating that the lyrics might still be subject to change. Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2023 My repertoire has spanned the spectrum from playing peek-a-boo, arching my eyebrows and wiggling my ears to pretending to walk into doors and scatting like Ella Fitzgerald. Bob Brody, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Aug. 2023 Ash scatted over areas where endangered species live, according to the complaint filed in federal district court in Washington, DC, today. Justine Calma, The Verge, 1 May 2023
Noun
Differentiating between different canid species can be challenging, especially from visual observations or scat analysis alone. Ret Talbot, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023 Lawson said researchers are keenly interested in learning more about the wolverine and hope to collect genetic samples such as hair, scat or saliva left at feeding sites. oregonlive, 3 June 2023 As a result, the appearance of bear scat can vary greatly from month to month. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 29 Nov. 2023 Call it scat, droppings, sign, or just plain old poop, animal feces can be a dead giveaway that a particular species is active nearby. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 26 Oct. 2023 The author is something of a whale scat specialist, having spent 20 years collecting their excrement. Amy Brady, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 There’s also the less glamorous task of analyzing animal scat. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2023 Brzeski is now in possession of more than 200 scat samples submitted to her lab by MWC. Ret Talbot, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023 After receiving reports of wolf sightings in Sequoia National Forest, researchers collected various samples, including hair and scat to be analyzed using genetic testing, the agency said. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

scat, interjection used to drive away a cat

Noun (1)

perhaps from Greek skat-, skōr excrement — more at scatology

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1927, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1929, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scat was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near scat

Cite this Entry

“Scat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scat. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

scat

1 of 4 verb
scatted; scatting
1
: to go away quickly
often used to drive away an animal (as a cat)
2
: to move fast : scoot

scat

2 of 4 noun
: the feces deposited by an animal
bear scat

scat

3 of 4 noun
: jazz singing with meaningless syllables

scat

4 of 4 verb
scatted; scatting
: to sing by making up meaningless syllables to go with the music

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