Kaaterskill

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A waterfall and creek in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, known for its dramatic cascade
2. A cascading waterfall and its feeder stream located in the Catskill range of upstate New York
3. A scenic falls and creek in the Catskill Mountains region of eastern New York State

Etymology: Kaaterskill is a place name, borne by a creek and the waterfall it feeds in New York's Catskill Mountains. It comes from the Dutch settlers of the Hudson Valley, who used "kill" for a creek or small river, a element still found in many local place names. The first element is most often read as Dutch "kat," meaning cat, so the name is usually glossed as "cat creek." That reading is not fully certain, and some accounts link the name to the wildcats or cougars once found in the mountains. The reason the stream was named is not documented. The same root gave the nearby mountains and town the name "Catskill," while the creek and falls kept the older, more Dutch-looking spelling.