cat

noun, often attributive

\ ˈkat

\

Definition of cat

(Entry 1 of 5)

1a : a carnivorous mammal (Felis catus) long domesticated as a pet and for catching rats and mice

b : any of a family (Felidae) of carnivorous usually solitary and nocturnal mammals (such as the domestic cat, lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, wildcat, lynx, and cheetah)

2a : guy some young … cat asked me to go drinking with him —Jack Kerouac

b : a player or devotee of jazz

3 : a strong tackle used to hoist an anchor to the cathead of a ship

5 : cat-o'-nine-tails

6 : catfish sense 1

7 : a malicious woman especially : one given to making catty remarks about other women

cat

verb

catted; catting

Definition of cat (Entry 2 of 5)

intransitive verb

usually vulgar : to search for a sexual mate —often used with around

transitive verb

: to bring (an anchor) up to the cathead

cat

abbreviation (1)

Definition of cat (Entry 3 of 5)

1 catalog

2 catalyst

Cat

trademark

\ ˈkat

\

Definition of Cat (Entry 4 of 5)

—used for a Caterpillar tractor

CAT

abbreviation (2)

Definition of CAT (Entry 5 of 5)

1 clean-air turbulence

2 computerized axial tomography

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about cat

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Examples of cat in a Sentence

Noun

I have two dogs and a cat. the family's cat did an exemplary job of keeping the house and yard free of all rodents

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

One of Janet's great loves was her love of animals, having always taken care of cats over the decades of her life. — Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Janet A. Richardson," 13 July 2018 Toxoplasmosis is a disease spread by parasites in the feces of cats. — New York Times, "Orcas of the Pacific Northwest Are Starving and Disappearing," 9 July 2018 According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 56 percent of American dogs — and 60 percent of cats — were classified as overweight in a 2017 clinical survey. — Maggie Gordon, Houston Chronicle, "More than half of American dogs are overweight. Including mine, apparently.," 9 July 2018 Estimates of feral cats on O`ahu alone range from 50,000 to 300,000. — Kim Steutermann Rogers, Smithsonian, "How the Tiniest of Parasites is Taking Down the Mightiest of Monk Seals," 9 July 2018 With the loss of balance, walking without support is risky, stepping over the cat can be deadly, and picking up the grandkids becomes just a memory. — Lynn Peterson Mobley, Washington Post, "My athletic husband stumbled. He was tired. He had a disease we’d never heard of.," 8 July 2018 Prize money would have gone toward the care of senior cats placed into homes including paying for food, kitty litter, vet bills and more. — Bryce Airgood, Detroit Free Press, "Lawyers retrofit trailer to take free legal advice on the road," 29 June 2018 In today’s world, this intolerance for artificiality makes Harvin something of a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. — Michael Mcknight, SI.com, "Percy Harvin Takes His Battle With Anxiety Public as He Gets Closer to Internal Peace," 28 June 2018 In fact, Namibia hosts the largest wild population of the cats in the world. — Mark Ellwood, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Places to Visit in August," 27 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Cat knew how to draw out the best in his son athletically and emotionally. — Joseph Goodman, AL.com, "On Willie Mays, his father and the final childhood summer of the Say Hey Kid," 17 June 2017 Cat Mountain Tr., 1400 block: Theft of property ($100-$750). — Mitch Mitchell, star-telegram.com, "Police report: Suspect in Denton murder back in Texas," 16 June 2017 Cat prowled beneath the shelf, but had no way to reach my little fish. — Elisabeth Egan, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award finalist: "Water like air" by Rebecca Wurtz," 10 June 2017 Q. How worried should cat owners be about the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, especially with babies in the house? — Karen Weintraub, New York Times, "How Worried Should Cat Owners Be About Toxoplasmosis?," 8 June 2017 Go to Cat Tuong in Kastanienallee for wow-factor vegan/vegetarian Vietnamese dishes— — Alexandra Pereira, Condé Nast Traveler, "How to Enjoy Berlin's Nightlife Like a Local," 8 May 2017 Today, the government is trying hard to eliminate cats from the landscape and is even involved in the invention of new cat poisons and gory things, which are upsetting to cat lovers. — Martin Mejia, National Geographic, "How Cats Clawed Their Way Into Our Hearts," 13 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for cat

cat

noun

\ ˈkat

\

Kids Definition of cat

1 : a common furry meat-eating animal kept as a pet or for catching mice and rats

2 : any of a family of mammals (as the lion, tiger, and leopard) to which the domestic cat belongs

cat

noun, often attributive

\ ˈkat

\

Medical Definition of cat

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a carnivorous mammal (Felis catus) long domesticated and kept as a pet or for catching rats and mice

2 : any of a family (Felidae) of mammals including the domestic cat, lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, wildcat, lynx, and cheetah

CAT

abbreviation

Medical Definition of CAT (Entry 2 of 2)

computed axial tomography; computerized axial tomography

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