Etymology Map
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Cat

3 stages from Late Latin to English.

Today it means a small domesticated carnivorous mammal with soft fur

Where does the word "cat" come from? It comes from Late Latin cattus, passing through Old English before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
cattus
Late Latin · c. 350
"domestic cat"
replaced classical feles; the farming writer Palladius recommends keeping cats among the artichokes to deal with moles; the word may come from a North African language, but its source is unknown
2
Stage 2 of 3
catt
Old English · medieval
"cat"
the word spread almost as fast as the animal, from Irish cat to Russian kot; Welsh laws of Hywel Dda in the 900s fixed the value of a good mouser
3
Stage 3 of 3
cat
English · 1200s
"small domestic feline"
reinforced by Old French chat; 'cat' as jazz slang for a hip person dates from the 1920s
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Read the full story

Cat’s story begins in Late Latin: cattus meant “domestic cat.” Replaced classical feles; the farming writer Palladius recommends keeping cats among the artichokes to deal with moles; the word may come from a North African language, but its source is unknown. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old English as catt. The word spread almost as fast as the animal, from Irish cat to Russian kot; Welsh laws of Hywel Dda in the 900s fixed the value of a good mouser. It reached English by 1200s as cat. Reinforced by Old French chat; 'cat' as jazz slang for a hip person dates from the 1920s. Today, cat means a small domesticated carnivorous mammal with soft fur.