Malkins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to refer to a type of cat, often associated with rural or folk traditions
2. Historically, it can denote a type of protective garment or a charm for good luck
3. In literature, it has been used to symbolize a mischievous or cunning creature, reflecting folklore themes

Etymology: "Malkins" is the plural of "malkin," a word that began as a woman's name. It derives from "Malde," an early form of "Maude" or "Matilda," combined with the diminutive ending "-kin," so the original sense was something like "little Maude." Names of this kind were often used generically for ordinary women, and in time "malkin" came to mean a slovenly or lowly woman, and also a scarecrow or the rag-doll figure set up to frighten birds. The name's pattern is shared with "grimalkin," a word for an old female cat, which itself contains "malkin" as its second half. The same familiar name lies behind both, so the cat and the drab servant woman are linked through a single personal name. That shared root explains why the word drifted toward the animal and folklore imagery that the literary sense draws on.