Cheshire cat

American  

noun

1. a constantly grinning cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

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idioms

1. grin like a Cheshire cat, to smile or grin inscrutably.

Cheshire cat Cultural  

1. A cat with an enormous grin encountered by Alice in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. The cat tends to disappear, leaving only its smile hanging in the air.

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Discover More

“Smiling like a Cheshire cat” refers to anyone with a conspicuous and long-lasting smile.

Example Sentences

Medrano said her earliest creation was Alastor, the “fun pseudo-villain and mysterious Cheshire cat character” who is voiced in the series by Amir Talai.

From New York Times • Jan. 22, 2024

When the conversation is flowing effortlessly about a niche show you both like, you can’t help but grin like a Cheshire cat.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2023

Arsenal's Mead last featured for England in November 2022 and said she had been "smiling like a Cheshire cat" since arriving to camp at St George's Park.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2023

"The corners of his mouth split into a Cheshire cat smile. Waving a stack of documents, he moves towards me, like a wolf closing in on its prey."

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2023

“That may have been discussed as one of several possibilities,” the prosecutor replied with a Cheshire cat grin.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti