catnip

noun

cat·​nip ˈkat-ˌnip 

1

: a strong-scented perennial mint (Nepeta cataria) that has whorls of small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats

2

: something very attractive

Examples of catnip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Javier is a terrific actor, and does some of her best work inside this particular conundrum, pure catnip for any audience member who possesses a shred of empathy. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025

Handsome when not in costume, Chaplin was catnip to women and reckless in his assignations. —Diane Kiesel, airmail.news, 1 Mar. 2025

Zoom out: Partisan catnip aside, the bulk of Biden's lame-duck agenda has been aimed at extending the longevity of his core policy themes, primarily through a flurry of rules and regulations finalized in recent weeks. —Zachary Basu, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025

None of this content, however, acts more like catnip for the algorithm than the ones that prey upon people’s deepest anxieties about their gender performance. —Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

cat entry 1 + obsolete nep catnip, from Middle English, from Old English nepte, from Latin nepeta

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

catnip

noun

cat·​nip -ˌnip 

: a strong-scented herb of the mint family that is especially attractive to cats

Medical Definition

catnip

noun

cat·​nip -ˌnip 

variants also catnep

-ˌnep, -nəp 

1

: a strong-scented mint (Nepeta cataria) that has small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats

called also cataria, catmint

2

: cataria sense 2