tabby

¹ American  

[tab-ee] / ˈtæb i /

noun

plural

tabbies

1. a cat with a striped or brindled coat.

2. a domestic cat, especially a female one.

3. a spinster.

4. a spiteful female gossip or tattler.

5. plain weave.

6. a watered silk fabric, or any other watered material, as moreen.

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adjective

1. striped or brindled.

2. made of or resembling tabby.

verb (used with object)

tabbied, tabbying

1. to give a wavy or watered appearance to, as silk.

tabby ² American  

[tab-ee] / ˈtæb i /

noun

1. (in the southeastern United States) a building material composed of ground oyster shells, lime, and sand, mixed with salt water.

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tabby ¹ British  

/ ˈtæbɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of cats) brindled with dark stripes or wavy markings on a lighter background

2. having a wavy or striped pattern, particularly in colours of grey and brown

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noun

1. a tabby cat

2. any female domestic cat

3. informal a gossiping old woman

4. slang any girl or woman

tabby ² British  

/ ˈtæbɪ /

noun

1. a fabric with a watered pattern, esp silk or taffeta

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Etymology

Origin of tabby¹

First recorded in 1630–40; back formation from French tabis (taken as plural), Middle French (a)tabis “silk cloth,” from Medieval Latin attābi, from Arabic ʿattābī, derivative of (al) ʿAttābīyah, quarter of Baghdad where the silk was first made, literally, “the quarter of (Prince) ʿAttāb”

Origin of tabby²

An Americanism dating back to 1765–75; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Gullah tabi, from a West African language

Explanation

A tabby is a house cat with stripes on its fur, often in browns and grays. There are different breeds of tabby cats. Occasionally one will dangle off a branch under a caption that says, “Hang in there.” Tabby can refer to domesticated cats, but it's also an adjective describing the stripy pattern itself. Tabby cats, with their swirling tabby patches, might also have a marking in the shape of an M on their foreheads. Maine coon cats are one example of a tabby breed. In the 1600's, tabby was a kind of striped silk fabric, and the word comes from the Arabic 'Attabiy, a Baghdad neighborhood where the cloth was traditionally produced.

Example Sentences

Coach to that end markets its bestselling Tabby bag as a versatile item that works in contexts including school and work, accessorized with any of dozens of charms from cutesy carrots to diamante bows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Matt Weston, the male flagbearer, won two golds in skeleton – the men's event and the team competition with Tabby Stoeker.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

Tabby Refael’s messages to Iran are going unanswered.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

“I used to think that if he’s lost, they’re going to find him,” Tabby says.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2024

As Flabby Tabby sat there, chewing his final treat with a stupid expression on his face, I pressed the button, closed my eyes against the green flash, and...

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