catlike

American  

[kat-lahyk] / ˈkætˌlaɪk /

adjective

1. resembling or typical of a cat.

   catlike eyes.

2. swift and graceful.

3. stealthy and noiseless.

   The scouts crept up on their quarry with catlike tread.

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Etymology

Origin of catlike

First recorded in 1590–1600; cat ( def. ) + -like

Example Sentences

She moved slowly, catlike, and seemed not too concerned.

From Slate • Nov. 26, 2023

When he goes inside, he sees that it has been enveloped in darkness and taken over by evil, shadowy creatures that can resemble everything from blobs to catlike predators.

From Scientific American • Oct. 20, 2023

Scientists traced SARS-CoV-1 to palm civets, a type of catlike wild carnivore sold as food in some South China markets and restaurants.

From New York Times • Jul. 25, 2023

But the slower movement then makes the robot look sleepy or catlike.

From BBC • May 4, 2023

At the end of the corridor, in a cross-shaped room that flickered with torchlight, was a fifteen-foot-high stone figure with a catlike face, taloned fingers, fierce tusks, and Medusa hair.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann