tiger cat

noun

1

: any of various wildcats (such as the serval, ocelot, or margay) of moderate size and variegated coloration

2

: a striped or sometimes blotched tabby cat

Illustration of tiger cat

• tiger cat 2

Examples of tiger cat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a paper published on Thursday in Current Biology, the researchers identify five distinct species of tiger cats in South America, including the tilcayo. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026

The cat, called Tilcayo by local communities, is part of a group called tiger cats found across much ​of South America. — CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2026

The result is a kind of dream memoir, including subtle elements of magic realism, chiefly in the form of a wise and mysterious tiger cat who leads Marina to truths no human can help her find. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026

The watchful beggar tenderly holding an alert gray tiger cat in his lap has been bestowed with an attribute of clever endurance. — Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tiger cat

• acrobat
• autocrat
• automat
• bundesrat
• bureaucrat
• butterfat
• caveat
• chemostat
• copycat
• cryostat
• democrat
• diplomat

Kids Definition

tiger cat

noun

1

: any of various medium-sized wildcats (as the ocelot) with a striped or spotted coat

2

: a striped or sometimes spotted tabby cat