catty

1 of 2

noun

cat·​ty ˈka-tē How to pronounce catty (audio)
plural catties
: any of various units of weight of China and southeast Asia varying around 1¹/₃ pounds (about 600 grams)
also : a standard Chinese unit equal to 1.1023 pounds (500 grams)

catty

2 of 2

adjective

cattier; cattiest
1
: resembling a cat
especially : slyly spiteful : malicious
made several catty comments
2
: of or relating to a cat
cattily adverb
cattiness noun

Examples of catty in a Sentence

Adjective a catty remark that served only to hurt their feelings
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Set in 1930s London, the fictional drama follows the prickly bond between Jimmy and theater actress Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), a constant target of his catty takedowns. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024 Everyone is feeling conversational mid-week when Mercury makes friends with motivational Mars, only to be followed by a crisis of confidence when the Sun gets catty with lucky Jupiter. Jennifer Culp, Them, 6 Sep. 2024
Adjective
Edward Berger’s Conclave, adapted from the novel by Robert Harris, showcases the gaudy ritual and ornate displays of Roman Catholicism, while also offering an intimate (albeit imagined) look at the backroom dealings and catty confrontations that go into the election of the supreme pontiff. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 Feeling Used: What’s going on with these catty friends-of-the-friend-of-your-husband who don’t want you at parties? R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for catty 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Malay kati

First Known Use

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of catty was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near catty

Cite this Entry

“Catty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catty. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

catty

adjective
cat·​ty
ˈkat-ē
cattier; cattiest
1
: resembling a cat
2
: mean in a sly way
catty remarks
cattily
ˈkat-ə-lē
adverb
cattiness
ˈkat-ē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on catty

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!