feline

1 of 2

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

felinity

2 of 2

noun

fe·​lin·​i·​ty fēˈlinətē 

plural -es

: the quality of being feline

also : a feline characteristic

those elusive felinities —beauty, sleekness, grace, and movement

—All-Pets Magazine

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

Adjective

• graceful

Examples of feline in a Sentence

Adjective

They move with feline agility.

the thief was eerily feline as he moved stealthily through the darkened rooms

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ever wonder why your cat seems more talkative to you than to their feline peers? —Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 4 June 2026

The Tonys will afford this titan the same respect his feline friends do on stage in this ebullient revival. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026

Like many a cat lover, Baseman whips out a phone to share videos of his beloved feline muses. —Iris Kwok may 12, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026

Some of these places have a history of cat mania that helped fuel the current feline boom. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 10 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin felinus, from felis

First Known Use

Adjective

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
• brucine
• byline

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