kitten

1 of 2

noun

kit·​ten ˈki-tᵊn 

: a young cat

also : an immature or young individual of various other small mammals

kitten

2 of 2

verb

kittened; kittening

ˈkit-niŋ, 

ˈki-tᵊn-iŋ 

intransitive verb

: to give birth to kittens

Examples of kitten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Their most expensive product — a four-color kitten that takes about a full day to print — sells for $5. — La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 13 July 2026

The four orphaned bobcat kittens will be monitored and cared for in special remote enclosures among the trees over the next few months. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 12 July 2026

By that point, kittens are typically healthier, more resilient and ready for adoption, making foster care an important bridge to permanent homes. — Usa Today, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Originating in kittens to stimulate milk flow, its persistence in adulthood is attributed to several factors. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English kitoun, from Anglo-French *kiton, chiton, diminutive of cat, chat cat, from Late Latin cattus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing kitten

• foster dog/cat/puppy/kitten
• kitten heel
• sex kitten

Rhymes for kitten

• bitten
• briton
• chiton
• gittin
• mitten
• smitten
• whitten
• written
• handwritten
• honiton
• rewritten
• typewritten

Kids Definition

kitten

noun

kit·​ten

ˈkit-ᵊn

: a young cat

also : a young individual of various other small mammals