catty

1 of 2

noun

cat·​ty ˈka-tē 

plural catties

: any of various units of weight of China and southeast Asia varying around 1⅓ pounds (about 600 grams)

also : a standard Chinese unit equal to 1.1023 pounds (500 grams)

catty

2 of 2

adjective

cattier; cattiest

1

: resembling a cat

especially : slyly spiteful : malicious

made several catty comments

2

: of or relating to a cat

cattily

ˈka-tə-lē 

adverb

cattiness

ˈka-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of catty

Adjective

• malicious
• cruel
• vicious
• hateful
• nasty
• bitchy

Examples of catty in a Sentence

Adjective

a catty remark that served only to hurt their feelings

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Influencer culture didn’t exist yet, but some designers were cruel and catty, even without the current omnipresent evil of social media. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026

Lowe used to be a member of a much larger and more popular right-wing populist party, Nigel Farage’s Reform, but he was forced out in an enjoyably catty and melodramatic schism after calling for mass deportations. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026

What makes this such an exhilarating watch is how the performers navigate every passive-aggressive aside, every catty comment, every choice bit of annoying behavior played for laughs, pathos, or both at once. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026

Tortuga’s signature restaurant, Bamboo, sits catty-corner to the pool, and has a dining room with blush pink walls—a color handpicked by Oscar de la Renta. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Malay kati

First Known Use

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing catty

• catty-corner
• catty-cornered

Rhymes for catty

• batty
• chatty
• fatty
• natty
• pattie
• patty
• ratty
• tatty

Kids Definition

catty

adjective

cat·​ty

ˈkat-ē

cattier; cattiest

1

: resembling a cat

2

: mean in a sly way

catty remarks

cattily

ˈkat-ə-lē

adverb

cattiness

ˈkat-ē-nəs

noun