grandcat

English

WOTD – 12 April 2017

A girl and her cat

Etymology

From grand- +‎ cat, by analogy with grandchild.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹæn(d)kæt/, /-kat/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹæn(d)kæt/
• Hyphenation: grand‧cat

Noun

grandcat (plural grandcats)

1. (humorous, endearing) A cat owned by one's child, having a status comparable to a grandchild.
   • 2004, Ellen Goodman, “A Sense of Place”, in Paper Trail: Common Sense in Uncommon Times, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN:

     This cat—my daughter's cat and my grandcat—arrived here weeks ago, caged and collared and thoroughly citified.

   • 2006 July 1, Barbie Root, “July 2006”, in Life After Katrina: A Family's Story of Trial and Triumph, [Mustang, Okla.]: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, published 2009, →ISBN, page 325:

     I'm heading to GR tomorrow to bring the cat to Mom/Maurice for a couple of weeks. I'm heading to Tokyo the week of July 11, so they have to take care of their grandcat!