kitten

1 of 2

noun

kit·​ten ˈki-tᵊn How to pronounce kitten (audio)
Synonyms of kittennext
: a young cat
also : an immature or young individual of various other small mammals

kitten

2 of 2

verb

kittened; kittening
ˈkit-niŋ
ˈki-tᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce kitten (audio)

intransitive verb

: to give birth to kittens

Examples of kitten in a Sentence

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
Lisa Newton, who manages cat and kitten rescue for Lucky Dawg Animal Rescue, explained just how hidden the kittens were. Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026 Because the kittens were stashed so high up, workers had no way to retrieve them by hand. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Lisa Newton, who manages cat and kitten rescue for Lucky Dawg Animal Rescue, explained just how hidden the kittens were. Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026 Where the Newborn Kittens Are Now Newton, who manages cat and kitten rescue for Lucky Dawg Animal Rescue, responded to the call on a Saturday. Ryan Brennan april 16, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kitten

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English kitoun, from Anglo-French *kiton, chiton, diminutive of cat, chat cat, from Late Latin cattus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kitten was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/kitten. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

kitten

noun
kit·​ten
ˈkit-ᵊn
: a young cat
also : a young individual of various other small mammals

More from Merriam-Webster on kitten

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster