bobcat

1 of 2

noun

bob·​cat ˈbäb-ˌkat 

: a common North American lynx (Lynx rufus) reddish in base color with dark markings

Illustration of bobcat

Bobcat

2 of 2

trademark

—used for a small 4-wheeled or tracklaying work vehicle (as for excavating or for lifting and moving loads)

Examples of bobcat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Been seeing a lot of white tail deer and the occasional gator, bobcat, hog, and even a coyote a few weeks ago! — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2026

Baby bobcats The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA received its first bobcats at the Wildlife Care Center in Saratoga. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 12 July 2026

Now, researchers are concerned that more ecosystems will be disrupted as the apex predators with a ferocious appetite feast on a buffet of raccoons, opossums, bobcats, alligators and birds -- including prey bigger than themselves. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 11 July 2026

Keep your eyes peeled for bobcats, foxes, gopher tortoises, pileated woodpeckers, and bald eagles. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

bob entry 4; from the stubby tail

First Known Use

Noun

1859, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bobcat

• begat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat
• tomcat

Kids Definition

bobcat

noun

bob·​cat ˈbäb-ˌkat 

: a common usually rusty-colored North American lynx with dark spots