feline

adjective

fe·​line ˈfē-ˌlīn 

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

feline noun

felinely adverb

felinity

fē-ˈli-nə-tē 

noun

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.

Synonyms of feline

• graceful

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

Costa Mesa may soon support feral cats being caught, fixed and released back onto the city’s streets, a practice that advocates say is critical to curbing feline overpopulation. —Claire Wang, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026

One of the best ways to control feline leukemia and feline immunosuppressive virus in community cats is to spay and neuter them. —Rashad Williams, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026

Jimin, whose velvety voice and nearly feline lover-boy magnetism stands out even in a group filled with virtuosic singers and strong presences, shocked himself with his own solo success. —Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2026

Only around 40% of the animals were feline. —Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin felinus, from felis

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing feline

• feline distemper
• feline panleukopenia

Rhymes for feline

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• byline
• canine

Kids Definition

feline

1 of 2 adjective

fe·​line

ˈfē-ˌlīn

1

a

: belonging to the family of flesh-eating mammals with soft fur that includes the cats, lions, tigers, leopards, pumas, and lynxes

b

: of or resembling a cat : characteristic of cats

2

: sly sense 1, stealthy

feline

2 of 2 noun

: a feline animal : cat

Medical Definition

feline

adjective

fe·​line ˈfē-ˌlīn 

: of, relating to, or affecting cats or the family Felidae

feline noun