Word
kitten
Phoneticskit·ten
US/ˈkɪtən/
UK/kˈɪtən/
Definitions
01young cat
n. a young cat, usually less than a year old.
n. a juvenile domestic cat, typically before it reaches sexual maturity.
“The small kitten played with a piece of string on the rug.”
“The shelter rescued a stray kitten that was barely six weeks old and required immediate veterinary attention.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03term of endearment
n. a sweet or romantic name you call someone you like.
n. a term of endearment, often used affectionately for a romantic partner.
“He often calls his girlfriend 'kitten' when they are joking around.”
“While some find the use of 'kitten' as a pet name charming, others may perceive it as somewhat patronising in a modern professional context.”
Informal
Synonyms
04to give birth
v. when a cat gives birth to babies.
v. to give birth to young; specifically used for cats and certain other small mammals.
“Our cat is expected to kitten sometime next week.”
“The vet advised the owners to provide a quiet, dark space where the queen could kitten without being disturbed by other household pets.”
Technical
Usage
The verb is usually intransitive but can take an object.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English kitoun, kytton, kyton, keton (“kitten”), of obscure origin. Seemingly from, and usually explained as being from, unattested Anglo-Norman kitoun, ketun (compare Old French chitoun, cheton, chaton (“kitten”), diminutive of cat, chat (“cat”)); whence Modern French chaton (“kitten”). Similar words of Germanic origin may have reinforced this word; compare English kitling (“kit, kitten”), Low German Kitten (“kitten”), Icelandic kettlingur (“kitten”), Middle English chitte ("whelp, pup", see chit). The idea that kitoun, rather than being of Anglo-Norman origin, was in fact a purely Germanic derivation from one of these words is etymologically problematic, but cannot be definitively ruled out.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.