Cats

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kæts/

Definitions

1. A type of small carnivorous mammal commonly kept as a pet, noted for its playful nature and independent behavior
2. A domesticated animal belonging to the feline family, recognized for agility, companionship, and unique vocalizations
3. Small, furry carnivorous mammals often kept as pets, known for their sharp retractable claws and keen hunting skills

Etymology: Cats is simply the plural of "cat," so the history that matters is the origin of the singular. The most striking detail is how little anyone can pin down about where the word came from. Early Latin writers used "cattus" for the domestic cat, with one of the earliest uses attributed to Palladius around 350 CE and another to the poet Martial around 75 CE. Old English later borrowed the word, and "catte," originally used for the female cat, developed into the general term we use today. The bigger puzzle is the source. The word is generally thought to have come from a language outside Latin, possibly from a language of the Afroasiatic family, and the idea fits the animal's own spread out of the Near East and into Egypt, Greece and Italy. Scholars have proposed Nubian words such as "kaddîska" and "kadīs" as possible sources, but one specialist argues the Nubian word itself was borrowed from Arabic "qiṭṭa," which was likely not Arabic in origin. No proposed source has settled the question.

Synonyms: felines, kitties

Antonyms: dogs