kitten

[ kit-n ]
See synonyms for kitten on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a young cat.

verb (used with or without object)
  1. (of cats) to give birth; bear.

Origin of kitten

1
1350–1400; Middle English kitoun, apparently blend of kitelingkitling and Middle French chitoun, variant of chaton kitten

Other words from kitten

  • kit·ten·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use kitten in a sentence

  • I never see sech hosses; 'n' they're jest like kittens; they've ben drefful pets, I allow.

    Ramona | Helen Hunt Jackson
  • In a short time I am coming to burn your barns and houses, and roast you all like a pack of kittens.'

  • It would have been nice to know how long this went on, and if the kittens adopted any parrot-like ways.

  • Mother rabbit laughed until her fat sides wobbled like a fur muff filled with playful kittens.

    Bumper, The White Rabbit | George Ethelbert Walsh
  • He assured her twice that he had done so; and quickly and quietly catching up the kittens from Clara's lap, disappeared with them.

    Heidi | Johanna Spyri

British Dictionary definitions for kitten

kitten

/ (ˈkɪtən) /


noun
  1. a young cat

  2. have kittens or have a canary British informal to react with disapproval, anxiety, etc: she had kittens when she got the bill US equivalent: have a cow

verb
  1. (of cats) to give birth to (young)

Origin of kitten

1
C14: from Old Northern French caton, from cat 1; probably influenced by Middle English kiteling

Derived forms of kitten

  • kitten-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with kitten

kitten

see have a fit (kittens); weak as a kitten.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.