cat's eye

Or cat's-eye

[kats-ahy]

noun

plural

cat's eyes, cat's-eyes 

1. any of certain gems having a chatoyant luster, especially chrysoberyl.

2. a playing marble marked with eyelike concentric circles.

3. cat eye.

cat's-eye

noun

1. any of a group of gemstones, esp a greenish-yellow variety of chrysoberyl, that reflect a streak of light when cut in a rounded unfaceted shape

2. Also called: ataata. a grazing marine gastropod, Turbo smaragdus , of New Zealand waters

Word History and Origins

Origin of cat's eye¹

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

Skewering the art world in fiction is almost a tradition — think of “Cat’s Eye” by Margaret Atwood, and now, Ella Baxter’s second novel.

From Los Angeles Times

That's called the reverse cat’s eye . . . which may be coincidental, who can say?

From Salon

Those who know fashion recognize this as the cat's eye.

From Salon

From around the maid’s aproned skirts there appeared a single cat’s eye, a sickening yellow.

From Literature

Mom caught Cat’s eye in the rearview mirror and then looked back at the road quickly.

From Literature