catlike

See also: cat-like

English

Cats walk gracefully and quietly.

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Germanic *kattuz

Proto-West Germanic *kattu

Old English catt

Middle English cat

English cat

Proto-Indo-European *leyg-

Proto-Germanic *līkąder.

Proto-Germanic *-līkaz

Proto-West Germanic *-līk

Old English -līċ

Middle English -like

English -like

English catlike

From cat + -like.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkætlaɪk/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

catlike (comparative more catlike, superlative most catlike)

1. Resembling a cat; feline.
2. Nimble, quick, graceful.
3. Slow, deliberate, quiet and stealthy.
   • 1879, W. S. Gilbert, The Pirates of Penzance, Act II:

     With cat-like tread,
       Upon our prey we steal;
     In silence dread,
       Our cautious way we feel.

Synonyms

• (resembling a cat): catty, feline,
• (nimble and quick): agile, light-footed
• (quiet and stealthy): slinky, sneaky; see also Thesaurus:covert
• catly

Derived terms

• catlikeness
• noncatlike
• uncatlike

Translations

resembling a cat

• Catalan: felí (ca)
• Finnish: kissamainen (fi)
• French: félin (fr)
• German: katzenhaft (de)
• Ido: katala (io)
• Irish: catúil
• Italian: felino (it), gattesco
• Polish: koci (pl) m
• Russian: котообразный (ru) m (kotoobraznyj)
• Spanish: gatuno (es)
• Swedish: kattlik, kattaktig (sv)
• Welsh: fel cath, cathaidd (cy)