catnip

American

[kat-nip] / ˈkæt nɪp /

noun

a plant, Nepeta cataria, of the mint family, having egg-shaped leaves containing aromatic oils that are a cat attractant.

catnip British

/ ˈkætˌnɪp /

noun

another name for catmint

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of catnip

An Americanism first recorded in 1705–15; cat ( def. ) + nip, variant of Middle English nep “catnip,” variant of Old English nepte, from Medieval Latin nepta, variant of Latin nepeta

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.

I started at the outer ring of the funnel: the tourist catnip.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025

The booming industry of AI is like catnip to economics researchers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025

Jones’s comments are catnip for bullish investors convinced that they have the ability to recognize when the bubble will burst, and therefore they can keep enjoying the rally.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 10, 2025

Both artists are perennial Grammy favourites, and their virtuoso ballad will be catnip to voters.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2025

He smelled like soapsuds and catnip and the ocean at night.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023