kitten
Americannoun
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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a young cat
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US equivalent: have a cow. informal to react with disapproval, anxiety, etc
she had kittens when she got the bill
verb
Other Word Forms
- kitten-like adjective
- kittenlike adjective
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.
“In this case, the data showed the kitten would not survive on its own, and intervention was appropriate.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Velasquez said he later saw the kitten clinging to the officer’s pants.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
When we arrived back in Serbia with no further travel plans for the first time in a decade, I found an abandoned kitten under a pile of firewood in our shed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
"The Gardener’s Cat" features Louis, a hypersensitive gardener devastated by the impending loss of his kitten, which has a tumour.
From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026
Then it will be Lavinia’s turn to be mad as a hornet—unless she discovers your clever scheme and, gentle as a lamb and sweet as a kitten, somehow persuades you to share.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
