cat
cat
Pronunciation
/kæt/.
cat
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/æ/ - near-open front unrounded vowel
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: cat (e.g., "The cat slept on the mat.")
Plural Noun: cats (e.g., "There were many cats in the alley.")
Possessive Singular Noun: cat's (e.g., "The cat's fur was soft.")
Possessive Plural Noun: cats' (e.g., "The cats' toys were scattered everywhere.")
Additionally, while "cat" itself doesn't have verb or adjective forms in the way many words do, it can be part of:
Compound Nouns: housecat, tomcat, alley cat
Adjectives derived from "cat":
Catlike: (e.g., "She moved with catlike grace.")
Cattish: (describing behavior typically associated with cats, often in a negative sense, like being spiteful or sneaky. E.g., "Her cattish remarks hurt his feelings.")
Verb (less common/idiomatic): While "cat" isn't a regular verb, it can be used in specific contexts, often informally or technically:
To flog with a cat-o'-nine-tails (historical)
To hoist an anchor to a cathead (nautical)
(Slang/informal) To vomit (e.g., "He cat in the bushes.")
(Slang/informal) To "cat around" meaning to socialize or go to various places.
The most common and fundamental variations you'll encounter are the singular and plural noun forms.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A domesticated carnivorous mammal, widely kept as a pet, known for its agile hunting skills, often nocturnal activity, and characteristic purring and meowing vocalizations.
Synonyms: feline, housecat, kitty, pussy, tabby, mouser
Antonyms: (There are no direct antonyms for a specific animal species. However, one might consider "dog" as a common contrasting pet, or "wild animal" to distinguish it from domestication.)
Any member of the family Felidae, which includes lions, tigers, leopards, and other wild feline species.
Synonyms: big cat, wildcat, panther (for some species), lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cougar, cheetah
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a taxonomic family.)
(Slang, dated) A person, especially a man, who is considered cool, hip, or stylish.
Synonyms: cool cat, dude, chap, fellow, guy (informal)
Antonyms: square, fuddy-duddy (informal)
(Informal, often derogatory) A spiteful or malicious woman.
Synonyms: vixen, shrew, hag, harpy, termagant
Antonyms: angel, saint, benevolent person
Verb
(Nautical) To hoist an anchor to the cathead (a strong beam projecting from a ship's bow) to secure it.
Synonyms: hoist, raise, lift, secure
Antonyms: lower, drop, unmoor
(Slang, informal) To vomit.
Synonyms: throw up, puke, barf (informal), regurgitate
Antonyms: ingest, swallow, keep down
(Informal) To move stealthily or with a quiet, agile grace, similar to a cat.
Synonyms: creep, slink, tiptoe, stalk, prowl
Antonyms: stomp, trudge, clatter, bound
Adjective (derived forms related to "cat")
Catlike: Resembling a cat in appearance, movement, or characteristics; often implying agility, stealth, or grace.
Synonyms: feline, agile, lithe, stealthy, graceful, supple
Antonyms: clumsy, awkward, ungainly, lumbering, stiff
Cattish: Spiteful, malicious, or treacherous in nature or behavior, often used to describe women.
Synonyms: catty, malicious, venomous, spiteful, ill-natured, mean, bitchy (informal)
Antonyms: kind, benevolent, amiable, compassionate, generous
Examples of Use
Books:
"The cat came back the very next day, the cat came back, we thought he was a goner, but the cat came back, he just couldn't stay away." (From the traditional folk song "The Cat Came Back," popularized in children's books and media)
"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." (A common proverb found in various literary contexts, often used to caution against excessive curiosity)
"He had a black cat named Pluto that was his favorite. He believed that Pluto, by way of magic, was responsible for the destruction of his home and the loss of his wife." (From Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Black Cat," 1843)
Newspapers:
"Local animal shelter overwhelmed by influx of stray cats after recent storm." (The Daily Chronicle, June 28, 2025)
"Researchers observe unique hunting behaviors in African wild cats." (The Guardian, May 15, 2025)
"The debate over the new pet ownership laws heated up, with many residents arguing for stricter regulations on outdoor cats." (The Nairobi News, June 25, 2025)
Online Publications:
"10 Adorable Reasons Why Your Cat Is Secretly Judging You." (BuzzFeed, June 10, 2025)
"How to Introduce a New Cat to Your Existing Pets." (Article on PetMD.com)
"The internet loves cats: A cultural phenomenon explained." (The Verge, April 22, 2025)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "The Aristocats" (1970 animated Disney film featuring a family of Parisian cats). "Puss in Boots" (DreamWorks Animation film, 2011, featuring a swashbuckling cat character).
Television: "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (features Salem Saberhagen, a talking cat). "Tom and Jerry" (classic cartoon series featuring a cat named Tom).
Music: "What's New Pussycat?" (Popular song by Tom Jones, 1965, using "pussycat" as a term of endearment, which is a derivative of "cat"). "Stray Cat Strut" (Song by the Stray Cats, 1981, using "cat" in a slang sense for a cool person).
Video Games: "Stray" (Video game released in 2022, where the player controls a lost stray cat in a cyberpunk world).
Social Media: #CatsofInstagram is a massively popular hashtag, with millions of posts featuring photos and videos of cats. (Ongoing use, e.g., seen on Instagram daily).
General Public Discourse:
"My cat just knocked over the plant again!"
"He's a cool cat, always knows the best spots to hang out."
"Did you hear that old Mrs. Smith has a dozen cats now?"
"I'm feeling a bit cat-like today – just want to nap in the sun."
10 Famous Quotes Using Cat
"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." (Proverb)
"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not." (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
"I am the cat who walks by himself, and all places are alike to me." (Rudyard Kipling, Just So Stories)
"If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat." ( Mark Twain's Notebook, 1935)
"How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven." (Robert A. Heinlein, The Door Into Summer)
"The problem with cats is that they get into everything." (P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing)
"I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior." (Hippolyte Taine, as quoted in The Cat in Fact and Fancy, 1961)
"Time spent with cats is never wasted." (Sigmund Freud, though the exact attribution is debated, it is widely associated with him)
"Cat food is for cats." (Often attributed to various sources, a simple, widely understood statement)
"When the cat's away, the mice will play." (Proverb, dating back to at least the 16th century)
Etymology
The word "cat" has a fascinating and somewhat mysterious origin, with its roots stretching back through several languages.
Here's the breakdown in easy-to-understand terms:
The English word "cat" comes from the Old English word "catt" (which was around before the year 1150). This Old English word, in turn, came from Proto-Germanic "*kattuz". Proto-Germanic is like the ancient grandparent language of English, German, Dutch, and other similar languages.
Now, where did Proto-Germanic "*kattuz" get it from? Most experts believe it came from Late Latin "cattus". This Latin word started appearing around the beginning of the 6th century (so, in the 500s AD). Before "cattus" became common, the main Latin word for a cat was "feles," which often referred to wild felines. "Cattus" likely emerged as domesticated cats became more common in the Roman world.
The real mystery is where Late Latin "cattus" itself came from. Many scholars think it was borrowed from an unidentified African language. One strong candidate is the Nubian word "kaddîska," which means "wildcat," or "kadīs" from the Nobiin language. This makes sense because cats were first domesticated in Egypt thousands of years ago, and then spread from there.
So, the journey of "cat" looks something like this:
African Language (e.g., Nubian "kaddîska") ➡️ Late Latin "cattus" ➡️ Proto-Germanic "*kattuz" ➡️ Old English "catt" ➡️ Modern English "cat"
The first known use of "cat" in English (as "catt") would have referred to the domesticated animal we know and love today, differentiating it from wild felines which were often referred to by other terms.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cat
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "cat":
Let the cat out of the bag: To reveal a secret.
Curiosity killed the cat: Being too curious can lead to trouble.
No room to swing a cat: A very small or cramped space.
The cat's pajamas/meow: Excellent; outstanding (often used humorously).
Like a cat on a hot tin roof: Very nervous or agitated.
When the cat's away, the mice will play: When authority is absent, subordinates will take advantage.
To look like the cat that swallowed the canary: To look smug or self-satisfied after doing something mischievous.
A copycat: Someone who imitates others.
To rain cats and dogs: To rain very heavily.
A fat cat: A wealthy and powerful person, often one who is perceived as greedy.
To bell the cat: To undertake a dangerous or impossible task.
To grin like a Cheshire cat: To have a broad, fixed smile (from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland).
Has the cat got your tongue?: Used to ask why someone is silent.
To fight like cats and dogs: To argue or quarrel fiercely and constantly.
To be a cool cat: To be a trendy, fashionable, or relaxed person.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cat from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
