feline

American  

[fee-lahyn] / ˈfi laɪn /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the cat family, Felidae.

2. catlike; characteristic of animals of the cat family.

   a feline tread.

3. sly, stealthy, or treacherous.

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noun

• felines
  plural

1. an animal of the cat family.

feline British  

/ ˈfiːlaɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Felidae , a family of predatory mammals, including cats, lions, leopards, and cheetahs, typically having a round head and retractile claws: order Carnivora (carnivores)

2. resembling or suggestive of a cat, esp in stealth or grace

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noun

1. any animal belonging to the family Felidae ; a cat

feline Scientific  

/ fē′līn′ /

1. Characteristic of or resembling felids.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• felineness
  noun
• felinity
  noun
• unfeline
  adjective
• felinely
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• felines
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of feline

1675–85; < Latin fēl ( ēs ) ( see Felis) + -ine ¹; compare Late Latin fēlīneus of a wild cat

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Explanation

You can describe your kitten as your young feline friend, since feline describes anything having to do with cats. The adjective feline is useful when you're talking about cats — just as canine describes dogs, and ursine describes bears. You might talk about the special feline food and toys you buy for your pet, or describe his feline beauty. You can even describe a person as feline, if something about him or her is catlike. The Latin root felinus means "of or belonging to a cat," from feles, "cat."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

feline felines

The feline in question is Gato Blanco, a “handsomely rotund” foster cat who seems to be equally perplexed and nonplussed by the art of radio journalism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

East Bay Hardware made a cat part of its logo and supersized the feline on a billboard just outside of Charleston, S.C.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

In June, more than 400 cats destined for slaughter were rescued after authorities dismantled another alleged feline theft ring, the animal welfare group said.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Dr. Louise Van Der Weyden, senior author at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said the study provides a foundation for the next stage of feline cancer research.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026

Lawrence had several feline pelts already at hand.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

It’s not yet known how the felines have responded to the family’s newest member.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026

"Will Benjamin Button carry the rings, or will Olivia have them?" he wondered, of Swift's favourite felines.

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026

He explained that while felines are the biggest prize for each safari outing, guests are constantly surprised by the less heralded wildlife.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

A video tour of the sanctuary posted in 2023 showed horses grazing and galloping across a vast expanse of the 40-acre property in Julian and a cattery where felines lounged in cat condos.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2026

Lyttyrboks’s criminal felines had survived their exile—and their descendants were right here!

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

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