feline

American  

[fee-lahyn] / ˈfi laɪn /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the cat family, Felidae.

2. catlike; characteristic of animals of the cat family.

   a feline tread.

3. sly, stealthy, or treacherous.

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noun

1. an animal of the cat family.

feline British  

/ fɪˈlɪnɪtɪ, ˈfiːlaɪn /

adjective

1. 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)

2. resembling or suggestive of a cat, esp in stealth or grace

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noun

1. any animal belonging to the family Felidae ; a cat

feline Scientific  

/ fē′līn′ /

1. Characteristic of or resembling felids.

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Other Word Forms

• felinely adverb
• felineness noun
• felinity noun
• unfeline adjective

Etymology

Origin of feline

1675–85; < Latin fēl ( ēs ) ( Felis ) + -ine ¹; compare Late Latin fēlīneus of a wild cat

Example Sentences

We’re not like the Chinook salmon that seek out upriver spawning zones or feline species that go into heat each spring and summer.

From Salon

In true feline style, cats took their time in deciding when and where to forge bonds with humans.

From BBC

She snagged a wing on the rubberized feline and plunged into a dive over Queens.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the master bedroom, a “cat door” slides open to provide easy access for felines that hang around the property.

From Los Angeles Times

With the bored indifference that cats exhibit even when they are doing as they have been told, the feline troublemaker moseyed over to Cassiopeia and allowed herself to be picked up.

From Literature