English Lexicon

Cat

/kæt/
nounCEFR A1 (Beginner)Top #450 frequency
Full Thesaurus

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A small domesticated carnivorous mammal with soft fur, a short snout, and retractile claws, widely kept as a pet or for catching mice.

    "The cat slept peacefully in the warm sunlight by the window."
  2. 2

    Any member of the feline family, including lions, tigers, and leopards.

    "Lions and tigers belong to the big cat family."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word traces back to Old English 'catt', which was adopted from Late Latin 'cattus' around the 6th century. This Latin term likely originated from an Afroasiatic source, such as Nubian 'kaddīsa', spreading widely across Europe alongside the domestic cat's introduction.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Cat"?

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Cat"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Cat" Synonym Map