feline

adjective

fe·line | \ ˈfē-ˌlīn

Definition of feline

1 : of, relating to, or affecting cats or the cat family

2 : resembling a cat: such as

a : sleekly graceful

b : sly, treacherous

c : stealthy

Other Words from feline Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about feline

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Did You Know?

Cats have always provoked a strong reaction from humans. The Egyptians worshipped them, leaving thousands of feline mummies and idols as evidence. In the Middle Ages, felines were feared as agents of the devil, and were thought to creep around silently at night doing evil. (Notice that feline is also a noun.) The fascinating family called the Felidae includes about 40 species of superb hunters, including the lions, tigers, jaguars, cheetahs, cougars, bobcats, and lynxes, and almost all of them are smooth, silent, and independent.

Examples of feline in a Sentence

They move with feline agility. the thief was eerily feline as he moved stealthily through the darkened rooms

Recent Examples on the Web

According to WMAR2 News, Bells, an all-black, 2-year-old rescue, and her feline sibling, Charlee, were first-time flyers accompanying their owners, the Dales, a military family in the process of moving to Hawaii. — Saryn Chorney, PEOPLE.com, "Cat Mysteriously Escapes Crate on BWI Airport Tarmac, Is Later Found Dead — and Owner Blames TSA," 26 June 2018 Consider Monica Vitti, who, with the help of her plush lips, rumpled blonde bob, and thick, feline flick, seduced Gabriele Ferzetti without hardly uttering a word in Antonioni’s masterpiece, L’Avventura. — Sophie Schulte-hillen, Vogue, "10 Italian Beauties Who Make the Case for La Dolce Vita," 18 Sep. 2018 Out of sight means out of mind for most feline pet parents who mistakenly think their cats are fine and just somewhere in the house. — Cathy M. Rosenthal, courant.com, "Pet World: Helping Dogs And Cats Survive The Fourth Of July," 22 June 2018 Ed Sheeran is an avid cat lover, so what better way to unveil his new wax figure than with the help of some feline friends? — Rania Aniftos, Billboard, "Ed Sheeran's Wax Figure Took a Trip to a London Cat Cafe," 12 June 2018 According to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, the 3-month-old kittens suffered from feline panleukopenia — the feline version of the parvo virus. — Vincent T. Davis, San Antonio Express-News, "Atascosa bobcat kittens die from virus," 31 May 2018 The rest of the Instagram story series has Swift, who dressed as Deadpool for Halloween last year, taking on the role of the paparazzi, approaching her feline friends for comment. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "Cat Cameos! Taylor Swift Asks Meredith and Olivia for Comment on Their Surprise Deadpool 2 Appearance," 22 May 2018 So while cat owners are more likely to give their pets free reign over the home, their feline friends aren't returning the same amount of love. — Bridget Mallon, ELLE Decor, "Who Loves Their Owners More: Cats Or Dogs?," 2 Feb. 2016 And when his new mom could no longer care for her feline family, SEHS stepped in to help. — Laura Bruck, cleveland.com, "Sunny is ready to begin life anew," 5 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'feline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.