catty

¹ American  

[kat-ee] / ˈkæt i /

adjective

cattier, cattiest

1. catlike; feline.

2. slyly malicious; spiteful.

   a catty gossip.

   Synonyms:

   bitchy, malevolent, nasty, mean

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catty ² American  

[kat-ee] / ˈkæt i /

noun

plural

catties

1. (in China and southeast Asia) a weight equal to about 1½ pounds (680 grams) avoirdupois.

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catty ¹ British  

/ ˈkætɪ /

adjective

1. informal spiteful

   a catty remark

2. of or resembling a cat

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catty ² British  

/ ˈkætɪ /

noun

1. (Mandarin) Chinese name:: jin.  a unit of weight, used esp in E Asia, traditionally equal to about one and a half pounds but formalized as 0.5 kg in mainland China, 0.6 kg in Taiwan and Thailand, and about 0.605 kg in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore

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Other Word Forms

• cattily adverb
• cattiness noun

Etymology

Origin of catty¹

First recorded in 1885–90; cat ( def. ) + -y ¹

Origin of catty²

1545–55; < Malay kati

Example Sentences

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

The catty media site Gawker noted that corners of the internet like 4Chan could be expected to respond with heinous pranks, without realizing how vile the rhetoric of regular people was about to get.

From Salon • Feb. 16, 2026

One of the few au courant innovations on “What’s in the Box?” involves surveillance: As one couple answers questions, the camera eavesdrops on the conversations among their competition, which can range from catty to worse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

She also teased her catty upcoming single “Él No Es Tuyo” — set for release in early March, the song notably features her former rival, Bellakath.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 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

Related Words

• rancorous
• spiteful