catnip

American  

[kat-nip] / ˈkæt nɪp /

noun

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

---

catnip British  

/ ˈkætˌnɪp /

noun

1. another name for catmint

---

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

See Examples For:

catnip

That catnip cast makes the series immediately interesting, not to say irresistible.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

One of the organisers of the 'Rescue Hoads Wood' campaign said the cleared site would now be "catnip" to both organised gangs and opportunist fly-tippers.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

And Citizen Vigilante is a disturbing film that is catnip for the internet’s worst people, Rebecca Onion explains.

From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026

One is the sheer complexity of the federal budget and its absurd lack of transparency; this is catnip for conspiracy theorists.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

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

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---