catty
1 Americanadjective
-
catlike; feline.
-
slyly malicious; spiteful.
a catty gossip.
- Synonyms:
- bitchy, malevolent, nasty, mean
noun
adjective
-
informal spiteful
a catty remark
-
of or resembling a cat
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of catty1
First recorded in 1885–90; cat ( def. ) + -y 1
Origin of catty2
1545–55; < Malay kati
Explanation
Someone who's catty is mean and nasty. A catty student on a school bus might refuse to let another child sit beside him, saying, "You smell bad." If you act catty, you're malicious or snotty toward other people. The adjective is unfortunately used more often to describe females than males, but anyone who treats people nastily can be called catty. The word was originally cattish, with the same meaning — and earlier, it simply meant "pertaining to cats."
Vocabulary lists containing catty
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
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One of Us Is Lying
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Proud
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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.
The Hulu show "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" followed the catty fallout from the revelation among a group of Utah-based TikTok influencers, and has so far run for multiple seasons.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
Although the methods used to make Mr. Hawke look a foot shorter than he is are a bit odd, his performance is spot-on, from his comb-over to his attitude: chatty, catty, arrogant yet anxious.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025
It captures the star as she falls in love with American Footballer Travis Kelce; interspersed with cautionary - and sometimes catty - tales about the music industry.
From BBC • Oct. 6, 2025
In her video, Brown set her sights on multiple Daily Mail reporters and read aloud catty headlines including, “Why are Gen Zers like Millie Bobby Brown ageing so badly?”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2025
She’s not nearly as catty these days and is becoming a real friend.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
