catty

1 of 2

noun

cat·​ty ˈka-tē 

plural catties

: any of various units of weight of China and southeast Asia varying around 1¹/₃ 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

Adjective

• bad [slang]
• bitchy
• cruel
• despiteful
• hateful
• malevolent
• malicious
• malign
• malignant
• mean
• nasty
• spiteful
• vicious
• virulent

Examples of catty in a Sentence

Adjective

a catty remark that served only to hurt their feelings

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Seeing paparazzi photos of myself and the accompanying catty commentary fueled my eating disorder. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 July 2024

Those early episodes stick closely to the conventions of the competition reality genre — choreography challenges, judging panels, catty commentary. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2024

Adjective

But there’s nothing—no backbiting, no meanness (of either sort), no catty contempt for the hands that fed him, not even a stray complaint about some hack winning a prize. —Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024

Expect things to get catty at Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2024

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

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