kitten

Meaning

Noun

1. A young cat, especially before sexual maturity (reached at about seven months).
2. A young rabbit, rat, hedgehog, squirrel, fox, beaver, badger, etc.
3. A moth of the genus Furcula.
4. (colloquial) A term of endearment, especially for a woman.
5. (broadly, colloquial) A term of endearment, especially for a woman.

Verb

To give birth to kittens.

Synonyms

kitty

cat

😺

puss

pussy

😺

catling

kit

small cat

parr

pussycat

pussy-cat

young

have kittens

baby

👶

kittie

bunny

calf

cub

fox cub

kid

🧒

leveret

Translations

chaton

gatito

gattino

Kätzchen

gatinho

γατάκι

katje

gattina

gatinha

gatet

Katzenjunges

minino

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkɪtən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: kitoun

Cognate with Old French: chitoun

Cognate with French: chaton

Cognate with English: kitling

Cognate with Low German: Kitten

Cognate with Icelandic: kettlingur

Cognate with Middle English: chitte

In summary

From Middle English kitoun, kytton, kyton, keton (“kitten”), of obscure origin. Seemingly from, and usually explained as being from, unattested Anglo-Norman *kitoun, *ketun (compare Old French chitoun, cheton, chaton (“kitten”), diminutive of cat, chat (“cat”)); whence Modern French chaton (“kitten”). Similar words of Germanic origin may have reinforced this word; compare English kitling (“kit, kitten”), Low German Kitten (“kitten”), Icelandic kettlingur (“kitten”), Middle English chitte ("whelp, pup", see chit). The idea that kitoun, rather than being of Anglo-Norman origin, was in fact a purely Germanic derivation from one of these words is etymologically problematic, but cannot be definitively ruled out.