kitten
Americannoun
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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a young cat
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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.
Last year, the British dance musician known as Fred Again.. put out a feeler to the Nashville-based alt-rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise about a possible collaboration.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025
Ela Melo, who’s fronted Rainbow Kitten Surprise since she and guitarist Darrick Keller formed the group over a decade ago as students at North Carolina’s Appalachian State University, was intrigued by the invitation.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025
After appearing in the ITV documentary The Big Reunion, the group toured with fellow 2000s pop survivors Atomic Kitten, Liberty X and B*Witched - until Abz abruptly quit in 2014.
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2025
She also founded the grant-making nonprofit, Orphan Kitten Club, which partners with shelters and rescues and funds research related to pediatric feline health.
From Salon • Dec. 6, 2024
‘It’s really hard, Kitten, I know,’ he said.
From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
