cat-o'-nine-tails

noun

ˌka-tə-ˈnīn-ˌtālz How to pronounce cat-o'-nine-tails (audio)
plural cat-o'-nine-tails
Synonyms of cat-o'-nine-tailsnext
: a whip made of usually nine knotted lines or cords fastened to a handle

Word History

Etymology

from the resemblance of its scars to the scratches of a cat

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cat-o'-nine-tails was in 1665

Dictionary Entries Near cat-o'-nine-tails

Cato

cat-o'-nine-tails

catocala

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Cite this Entry

“Cat-o'-nine-tails.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cat-o%27-nine-tails. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

cat-o'-nine-tails

noun
ˌkat-ə-ˈnīn-ˌtālz
plural cat-o'-nine-tails
: a whip made of nine knotted cords fastened to a handle

More from Merriam-Webster on cat-o'-nine-tails

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cat-o'-nine-tails

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cat-o'-nine-tails

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