meow
Americannoun
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the characteristic sound a cat makes.
-
a spiteful or catty remark.
verb (used without object)
-
to make the sound of a cat.
-
to make a spiteful or catty remark.
verb
interjection
Etymology
Origin of meow
First recorded in 1870–75; imitative
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.
Together, these results highlight how domestication shaped the modern cat's voice, turning the meow into a flexible communication tool while leaving the purr as a steady marker of individuality.
From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026
He would eat and then meow to leave.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2025
Research has shown that cats meow primarily when in the presence of humans, suggesting that we can’t help but skew the app’s inputs, while some cats rarely vocalize at all.
From Slate • Nov. 13, 2023
A loud meow comes from a basket at their feet.
From BBC • Nov. 1, 2023
“Well, I could just meow from time to time. No one would know.”
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
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.
