cat

1 of 5

noun

often attributive
1
a
: 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)
2
a
: guy
some young … cat asked me to go drinking with himJack Kerouac
b
: a player or devotee of jazz
3
: a strong tackle used to hoist an anchor to the cathead of a ship
4
a
b
5
6
7
: a malicious woman
especially : one given to making catty remarks about other women

cat

2 of 5

verb

catted; catting

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

3 of 5

abbreviation (1)

1
catalog
2
catalyst

Cat

4 of 5

trademark

used for a Caterpillar tractor

CAT

5 of 5

abbreviation (2)

1
clean-air turbulence
2
computerized axial tomography

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
There's enough headroom that most cats should be OK using it, but not every cat loves the privacy. Medea Giordano, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023 His wife will start decorating their new home, and tend to Amigo, their cat, who survived the fire but whose paws and fur were burned. Priscella Vega, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2023 This dual cat tree and scratching post is what your cat wants this holiday season. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023 The dog, Latke, and cat, Applesauce, end up saving the day. Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 Share [Findings] Men who pose for photos with cats are seen as less datable. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 22 Nov. 2023 What is the best way to ensure good care for my two cats and my horse? Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2023 The famous lasagna-loving cat is back with Pratt as the man behind the whiskers in this nearly three-minute look (below) at the movie based on Jim Davis’ famous Garfield comic series. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Nov. 2023 And when that happens, cheetahs are generally forced to give up their catches to the larger cats. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023
Verb
Cat knew how to draw out the best in his son athletically and emotionally. Joseph Goodman, AL.com, 17 June 2017 Cat Mountain Tr., 1400 block: Theft of property ($100-$750). Mitch Mitchell, star-telegram.com, 16 June 2017 Cat prowled beneath the shelf, but had no way to reach my little fish. Elisabeth Egan, chicagotribune.com, 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, 8 June 2017 Go to Cat Tuong in Kastanienallee for wow-factor vegan/vegetarian Vietnamese dishes— Alexandra Pereira, Condé Nast Traveler, 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, 13 Nov. 2016 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cat.' 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

Noun

Middle English, from Old English catt, probably from Late Latin cattus, catta cat

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1681, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of cat was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cat

Cite this Entry

“Cat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

cat

noun
ˈkat
1
a
: a small domestic meat-eating mammal kept by people as a pet or for catching rats and mice
b
: an animal (as the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, wildcat, lynx, and cheetah) that belongs to the same family as the domestic cat
2

Medical Definition

cat

1 of 2 noun
often attributive
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

2 of 2 abbreviation
computed axial tomography; computerized axial tomography

More from Merriam-Webster on cat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!