kitten
Americannoun
-
kittens
plural
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
a young cat
-
US equivalent: have a cow. informal to react with disapproval, anxiety, etc
she had kittens when she got the bill
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of kitten
1350–1400; Middle English kitoun, apparently blend of kiteling kitling and Middle French chitoun, variant of chaton kitten
Explanation
A kitten is a baby cat. There is nothing more adorable then a bunch of fuzzy little kittens playing together. While there are a few other animals whose young are called kittens, like beavers, rabbits, and rats, the word most commonly describes a baby cat. Kittens are dependent on their mothers for food and protection until they are around six to eight weeks old, when they're still adorable but also able to eat solid food. Kitten comes from the Middle English kitoun, which is rooted in the Old French chitoun, or "little cat."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Muriel Spark, best remembered for her sophisticated and witty fiction, tried her hand at verse-writing with a series of poems about Bluebell the kitten.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
It had been found in the forest by a local resident, who initially thought it was a domestic kitten.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The 3-week-old kitten was found in his den on March 25.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Gemma Champ, a writer from north London, rescued her cat Frankie as a kitten 17 years ago, when she lived in Abu Dhabi.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
She puts the kitten gently on the floor and holds her hand above it.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
“Great Writers” paints portraits of the mewling kittens, dexterous mousers and lazy lap cats who happen to have witnessed the birth of some of humanity’s favorite texts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Gary and Shaggy first stood out as kittens because of their unusually long limbs.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
How about two warm baskets full of kittens?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Quammen said people with puppies or kittens might consider getting insurance, because younger animals are less likely to have pre-existing conditions that might not qualify for coverage.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Poppet and Widget slip tastes of appropriate morsels to the marmalade kittens at their feet, while listening attentively to Mme.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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