catnap

¹ American  

[kat-nap] / ˈkætˌnæp /

noun

1. a short, light nap or doze.

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verb (used without object)

catnapped, catnapping

1. to doze or sleep lightly.

catnap ² American  

[kat-nap] / ˈkætˌnæp /

verb (used with object)

catnapped, catnapping

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

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catnap British  

/ ˈkætˌnæp /

noun

1. a short sleep or doze

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• catnapper
  noun

Etymology

Origin of catnap

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

Explanation

A catnap is a brief rest. If you need a break from studying for the big test tomorrow, you might take a quick catnap on the couch. Cats are famous sleepers, so it's not surprising that catnap was coined at some point during the 1800s. It describes a snooze that's fairly short and definitely doesn't involve climbing under the covers. You can take a catnap almost anywhere: on the bus, in front of the woodstove, or curled up in a comfortable chair like a cat! Use the word as a verb too: "I think I'll catnap for five minutes, right here in the library."

Example Sentences

This skit features a fictional band called Catnap, which is comprised of Brownstein and Armisen’s punk rock characters, as well as an actual cat named Kevin.

From The Guardian • Jan. 4, 2017