catnap

¹

[kat-nap]

noun

1. a short, light nap or doze.

verb (used without object)

catnapped, catnapping 

1. to doze or sleep lightly.

catnap

²

[kat-nap]

verb (used with object)

catnapped, catnapping 

1. to steal or abduct a cat, especially in order to keep it as one's own.

catnap

/ ˈkætˌnæp /

noun

1. a short sleep or doze

verb

1. (intr) to sleep or doze for a short time or intermittently

Other Word Forms

• catnapper noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of catnap¹

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25; cat + nap ¹

Example Sentences

On good ones, they found a lodging house and raced upstairs, hoping to claim a catnap before that evening’s gig.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It should be noted that the Fourth Estate doesn’t merely cover for Mr. Biden on trivial matters like his propensity for catnaps.

Read more on Washington Times

And although it is possible to take catnaps during the daytime, our inclination is to want to sleep when it is night.

Read more on Salon

Most frustrating, she said, was the lack of communication from state and local officials as she and her husband took turns catnapping overnight in their Mazda.

Read more on Washington Post

Some marine mammals sleep while swimming and some seabirds catnap while flying, letting one half of the brain doze while the other keeps working.

Read more on Science Magazine