kitten
Americannoun
-
kittens
plural
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
a young cat
-
US equivalent: have a cow. informal to react with disapproval, anxiety, etc
she had kittens when she got the bill
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of kitten
1350–1400; Middle English kitoun, apparently blend of kiteling kitling and Middle French chitoun, variant of chaton kitten
Explanation
A kitten is a baby cat. There is nothing more adorable then a bunch of fuzzy little kittens playing together. While there are a few other animals whose young are called kittens, like beavers, rabbits, and rats, the word most commonly describes a baby cat. Kittens are dependent on their mothers for food and protection until they are around six to eight weeks old, when they're still adorable but also able to eat solid food. Kitten comes from the Middle English kitoun, which is rooted in the Old French chitoun, or "little cat."
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:
It had been found in the forest by a local resident, who initially thought it was a domestic kitten.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The all-volunteer network of cat trappers and kitten rescuers centers on five L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Gemma Champ, a writer from north London, rescued her cat Frankie as a kitten 17 years ago, when she lived in Abu Dhabi.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
A beaming Vickye Giraldo holds her rescued kitten tight against her chest outside her ruined home in quake-hit Cali, Colombia.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Like a curious kitten, she crawled out from under the chinaberry tree and came over to join us.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
How about two warm baskets full of kittens?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
For years, the Pomona-based organization showcased its work on Facebook, posting photos of new cat owners, rescue operations and the faces of cats and kittens it had saved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Roadside signs advertise firewood, free kittens and raw milk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
Quammen said people with puppies or kittens might consider getting insurance, because younger animals are less likely to have pre-existing conditions that might not qualify for coverage.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
On his shoulders sits a pair of stark-white kittens.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
