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kitten heel

American  
[kit-n heel] / ˈkɪt n ˌhil /

noun

  1. a thin, tapering heel on a woman's shoe, lower than a spike heel.

  2. a shoe with this type of heel.


kitten heel British  

noun

  1. a low stiletto heel on a woman's shoe

  2. a woman's shoe with a low stiletto heel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of kitten heel

First recorded in 1955–60; so called because originally considered appropriate for teenagers

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:

"Whenever I go on the red carpet, I get sent shoes that are always so high. I’m like, 'Do they have a kitten heel? I’m going to be the tallest person – a giraffe.'"

From Salon Jan. 16, 2024

My maternal grandmother, an educator, was the epitome of classic chic: a kitten heel, a sheath dress and never without a bold red lip.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 19, 2020

Mrs May appears to have used a fat marker pen to draw a kitten heel she was fond of wearing, while Mr Corbyn continued the feline theme with a doodle of an "eternally happy cat".

From BBC Jun. 18, 2019

But Hidden Figures manages to both stay faithful to the genre’s most enjoyable elements while puncturing the boundaries with a knowing kick of its kitten heel.

From The Guardian Feb. 21, 2017

“Like the kitten heel, I hate,” Ms. Ora said, cringing.

From New York Times Jan. 10, 2013

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