: a spicate inflorescence (as of the willow, birch, or oak) bearing scaly bracts and unisexual usually apetalous flowers
called also ament
Examples of catkin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The plant produces delicious hazelnuts encased in leafy husks, with male catkins that appear in late winter and early spring.
—
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 21 Jan. 2026
The female parts of evergreens are called the cones, while the male parts of the tree are called catkins, which look like smaller bundled cones.
—Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
The trees had recently flowered, and the lawn under their branches was littered with dusty, brittle catkins.
—Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2024
Moose gorge, stripping catkins as the snows melt, using their flexible noses and lips to select new leaves.
—Krista Stevens, Longreads, 2 May 2024
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Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 21 Jan. 2026
The female parts of evergreens are called the cones, while the male parts of the tree are called catkins, which look like smaller bundled cones.
—Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
The trees had recently flowered, and the lawn under their branches was littered with dusty, brittle catkins.
—Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2024
Moose gorge, stripping catkins as the snows melt, using their flexible noses and lips to select new leaves.
—Krista Stevens, Longreads, 2 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Catkin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catkin. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catkin
noun
cat·kin
ˈkat-kən 
: a flower cluster (as of the willow or birch) in which the flowers grow in close circular rows along a slender stalk
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