Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

puss

noun (1)
\ ˈpu̇s \

Definition of puss 

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : cat

2 : girl

puss

noun (2)

Definition of puss (Entry 2 of 2)

slang

: face

First Known Use of puss

Noun (1)

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1844, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for puss

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

Irish pus mouth

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about puss

Dictionary Entries near puss

pusillanimity

pusillanimous

pusillanimousness

puss

puss caterpillar

puss in the corner

pussley

Statistics for puss

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for puss

The first known use of puss was in 1598

See more words from the same year

More from Merriam-Webster on puss

See words that rhyme with puss

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for puss

Comments on puss

What made you want to look up puss? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

biannual

occurring twice a year or every two years

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Name that Food Quiz

  • alt-573b465788319
  • Name these cookies!
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

TRENDING NOW

  1. Spartan Red Cross Warns of Shelter Conditions

  2. hirsute RIP Burt Reynolds

  3. op-ed NYT Publishes Anonymous Piece

  4. collegiality Kavanaugh Mentions Word in Hearing

  5. mistrial Manafort Guilty on 8 Counts

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games