catgut

Meaning

Noun

• A cord of great toughness made from the intestines of animals, especially of sheep, used for strings of musical instruments, raquets, sutures etc.
• The material from which such cords are made.
• A sort of linen or canvas, with wide interstices.

Origin

• Possibly an abbreviation of the word cattlegut. Alternatively, it may derive by folk etymology from kitgut or kitstring — the word kit, meaning fiddle, having at some point been confused with the word kit for a young cat.