cattishadj.
/ˈkatɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈkædɪʃ/ a. Belonging to or resembling a cat; feline.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Felidae (feline) > felis domesticus (cat) > [adjective] > resembling a cat
cattish1598
pussy1842
feline1843
pussycat1867
feliform-
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Gattino, of a cat kinde, cattish.
a1649 W. Drummond Wks. (1711) 50 Vengeance falling on the Cattish Race.
1818 C. Lamb Prince Dorus 5 All her cattish gestures plainly spoke.
1877 J. S. Blackie Wise Men Greece 95 Flaring cattish eyes.
b. Of a sly or spiteful character. (Cf. cat n.1 2.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > spitefulness > [adjective]
teenfulOE
atteryc1175
ondfula1200
maliciousa1250
doggedc1300
enviousc1330
venoma1350
spitous?a1366
despitousc1374
heinous?a1400
venomyc1400
sinister1411
sputousc1420
doggish?a1425
cankered?a1439
doggya1450
sinistrous1460
spity1481
despiteful1488
spiteful1490
despiteous?1510
viperious?1510
peevisha1522
maliceful1522
envyful1530
viperinec1540
viperous?1542
vipered1560
uncanny1596
dogged-sprighted1600
maliced1602
ill-minded1611
virulent1613
ill-hearteda1617
doleful1617
spitish1627
splenial1641
litherlya1643
venomsome1660
slim1674
viper1721
vipereal1750
viperish1755
vicious1825
waspish1855
viperian1866
viperan1877
cattish1883
catty1886
bitchy1928
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > unkindness > spite, malice > [adjective]
loathOE
teenfulOE
nithefulOE
ondfula1200
maliciousa1250
doggedc1300
enviousc1330
venomousa1340
venoma1350
spitous?a1366
despitousc1374
heinous?a1400
unkindlya1400
venomyc1400
sinister1411
sputousc1420
doggish?a1425
cankered?a1439
doggya1450
sinistrous1460
spity1481
despiteful1488
spiteful1490
despiteous?1510
viperious?1510
peevisha1522
envyful1530
viperous1535
viperinec1540
vipered1560
bad-minded1588
uncanny1596
dogged-sprighted1600
toothsome1601
maliced1602
ill-minded1611
virulent1613
ill-hearteda1617
doleful1617
spitish1627
ill-meaning1633
splenial1641
litherlya1643
venomsome1660
slim1668
cat-witted1672
vipereal1750
viperish1755
méchant1813
vicious1825
maliceful1840
mean1841
waspish1855
viperian1866
viperan1877
cattish1883
catty1886
bad mind1904
bitchy1908
1883 W. Black Yolande III. vii. 127 The cattish temper of an old woman.
1893 E. Saltus Madam Sapphira 15 The stealthy air and cattish smile of the mother.
Derivatives
ˈcattishly adv. in a cattish manner or spirit.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > bodily movement > [adverb] > agilely or nimbly
lighteOE
lightly?a1200
wightlyc1330
deliverlya1375
swipperly?a1400
wakerly?a1400
wighta1400
yaplya1400
featlyc1400
nimblyc1450
lightsomely1561
nimble1568
wimbly1594
yarelya1616
yare1622
featilya1640
agilely1663
cleverly1686
spry1855
lissomely1902
spryly1905
cattishly1913
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > spitefulness > [adverb]
despitouslyc1320
maliciouslya1325
doggedlyc1380
spitouslya1387
venomly1387
spitousc1400
enviouslyc1430
venomously1449
sputouslyc1450
evilfullyc1475
despitefully1487
despiteouslya1500
unhappily1509
peevishly?1529
spitefully1532
cankeredly1535
viperiously1538
malignly1543
sinisterlyc1550
doggishly1576
cankerly1580
viperously1587
sinistruouslya1615
despitely1619
viciously1841
dolefully1880
cattishly1913
cattily1924
bitchily1938
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [adverb] > like cat
cattishly1913
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > unkindness > spite, malice > [adverb]
maliciouslya1325
despitouslyc1374
doggedlyc1380
spitouslya1387
venomly1387
spitousc1400
venomously1449
sputouslyc1450
evilfullyc1475
despitefully1487
despiteouslya1500
enviously1508
unhappily1509
peevishly?1529
spitefully1532
cankeredly1535
viperiously1538
malignly1543
sinisterlyc1550
to spite (one)a1575
doggishly1576
cankerly1580
viperously1587
sinistruouslya1615
despitely1619
waspishly1684
viciously1841
waspily1854
dolefully1880
cattishly1913
cattily1924
bitchily1961
bitchingly1970
1913 W. Owen Let. 7 Nov. (1967) 207 I drank milk so doggedly, (or cattishly) even with raw egg in it, that strength has returned.
1923 M. Arlen These Charming People 180 ‘Society Hostess Robbed.’ It's almost worth it for her, he thought cattishly, to be called a Society Hostess.
1967 J. Gardner Madrigal iii. 58 The sergeant turned out to be cattishly agile.
ˈcattishness n. the quality of being ‘cattish’, spitefulness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > spitefulness > [noun]
maliciousness1447
peevishness1468
spitefulness1530
sinisterness1611
viciousness1879
cattishness1894
cattiness1920
bitchiness1934
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > unkindness > spite, malice > [noun] > quality
maliciousness1447
peevishness1468
spitefulness1530
sinisterness1611
viciousness1879
cattishness1894
pussycat1911
cattiness1920
bitchiness1934
1894 G. Meredith Lord Ormont III. iv. 69 Thither he walked..prepared for cattishness.
1907 Daily Chron. 8 July 3/2 Thus..was Mrs. Steel's cattishness brought home to her.
1909 Westm. Gaz. 8 June 3/2 Elizabeth, we are afraid, is developing into a little ‘cat’, as her female friends would probably say... That is where the ‘cattishness’ of Elizabeth shows itself.
1938 R. G. Collingwood Princ. Art v. 87 The biographies of cattishness, whose aim is to release the reader from the irksome reverence..for persons who were important in their day.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1598