kitten

Meanings

Noun

• A young cat, especially before sexual maturity (reached at about seven months).
• A young rabbit, rat, hedgehog, squirrel, fox, beaver, badger, etc.
• A moth of the genus Furcula (genus).

Verb

• To give birth to kittens.

Related

Similar words

• catling , kit, kitling , kitty, kitty cat

Origin

• The idea that kitoun, rather than being of Anglo-Norman origin, was in fact a purely Germanic derivation from one of these words is etymologically problematic, but cannot be definitively ruled out.