feline
Americanadjective
-
belonging or pertaining to the cat family, Felidae.
-
catlike; characteristic of animals of the cat family.
a feline tread.
-
sly, stealthy, or treacherous.
noun
-
felines
plural
adjective
-
of, relating to, or belonging to the Felidae , a family of predatory mammals, including cats, lions, leopards, and cheetahs, typically having a round head and retractile claws: order Carnivora (carnivores)
-
resembling or suggestive of a cat, esp in stealth or grace
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of feline
1675–85; < Latin fēl ( ēs ) ( see Felis) + -ine 1; compare Late Latin fēlīneus of a wild cat
Explanation
You can describe your kitten as your young feline friend, since feline describes anything having to do with cats. The adjective feline is useful when you're talking about cats — just as canine describes dogs, and ursine describes bears. You might talk about the special feline food and toys you buy for your pet, or describe his feline beauty. You can even describe a person as feline, if something about him or her is catlike. The Latin root felinus means "of or belonging to a cat," from feles, "cat."
Vocabulary lists containing feline
A Lexical Zoo of Animal Adjectives
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Cat Vocabulary: A Feline Lexicon
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 1: Telling Details
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Five young Pallas's cats, dubbed the world's grumpiest feline for their sullen facial expressions, went on display at a zoo in Japan on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The thing’s Cheshire feline grin even made Satsuki a little nervous.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Many couples say their marriage hinges on one party coming around to their spouse’s feline friends, which can mean dealing with severe rashes, smelly litter boxes and early wakeups.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
The production’s radical concept brings the queer audacity of Harlem Ballroom culture to these feline proceedings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Rather remarkably, they persuaded themselves that the animal had enjoyed "the agility and ferocity of the tiger," and portrayed it in illustrations as pouncing with feline grace onto prey from boulders.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
When Frankie and Molly begin to communicate with their cats, the felines are voiced by Seth Rogen and Kumail Nanjiani.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
"Will Benjamin Button carry the rings, or will Olivia have them?" he wondered, of Swift's favourite felines.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
When it comes to felines and liquid meds, PetMD recommends both using a “burrito wrap” and having an assistant.
From Slate ● May 17, 2026
His legislation would also provide free vaccinations and spay or neuter services to the felines.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
Lyttyrboks’s criminal felines had survived their exile—and their descendants were right here!
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
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.
