English Reference

Word

puss

US/ˈpəs/

UK/pˈʊs/

Definition

n. a friendly or informal name for a cat. You might use it when calling a pet or talking to a friend about their cat.

n. an informal or affectionate term for a cat. Often used as a vocative when calling the animal or as a hypocorism in domestic contexts.

Examples

“Come here, puss, it is time for dinner.”

“The old cat, a ginger puss with tattered ears, spent most of its afternoons sleeping on the sunny porch.”

Examples

simple

“Come here, puss, it is time for dinner.”

contextual

“The old cat, a ginger puss with tattered ears, spent most of its afternoons sleeping on the sunny porch.”

Usage

Often used as a direct address (vocative) or as part of the compound 'pussycat'.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference