Siamese

[sahy-uh-meez, -mees]

adjective

of or relating to Siam, its people, or their language.

Thai(def 3).

twin; closely connected; similar.

Informal. dual; combined; twofold or two-way: a Siamese sprinkler.

noun, plural Si·a·mese.

a native of Siam.

Thai(def 2).

Siamese cat.

(usually lowercase) a standpipe placed outside a building close to ground level, having two or more openings so that fire engines can pump water to the sprinkler system of the building.

Origin of Siamese

First recorded in 1685–95; Siam + -ese

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for siamese

Contemporary Examples of siamese

And now the latest character in the saga is Choupette, a 9-month-old Siamese kitten upon whom he fastidiously dotes.
7 Facts to Know About Karl Lagerfeld’s Siamese Cat, Choupette
Isabel Wilkinson
June 7, 2012

Historical Examples of siamese

The other made a living as a Siamese twin, and his brother was named Eng.
The Gypsies
Charles G. Leland
To play Siamese twin to a pustulous convict were a trifle beside this.
Despair's Last Journey
David Christie Murray
Achang was called, and was asked to inquire of the Siamese if the crocodiles were dangerous.
Four Young Explorers
Oliver Optic
It was a costly transaction for the Siamese, but they assented.
Where the Strange Trails Go Down
E. Alexander Powell
One cannot but smile at the whimsical ordeals of the Siamese.
Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 1 (of 3)
Isaac D'Israeli

British Dictionary definitions for siamese

Siamese

noun plural -mese

See Siamese cat

adjective

characteristic of, relating to, or being a Siamese twin

adjective, noun

another word for Thai

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

Word Origin and History for siamese

Siamese

adj.

"of or pertaining to Siam," 1690s; see Siam + -ese. Also from 1690s as a noun meaning "native of Siam." the original Siamese twins (exhibited from 1829) were Chang and Eng (1814-1874), Thai-Chinese natives of Siam who settled in the U.S. Hence Siamesed (adj.) "joined in the manner of Siamese twins" (1830). Siamese cat is attested from 1871.