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
Some 446 cats were rescued, plus two kittens born later. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026 The third ragdoll, however, currently a gorgeous gray kitten, is yet to be named. — Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026 Lion cubs are similar to domestic kittens at birth, in that they're born blind and their eyes open within about a week or two, the zoo said. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 17 June 2026 Using a drum stick that the women had in their car and his own flashlight, Jackson was able to pry the kitten from behind the engine lift it to safety. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 June 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

Phrases Containing kitten

Rhymes for kitten

See All Rhymes for kitten

Browse Nearby Words

kittel
kitten
kittenball
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kitten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kitten. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for kitten

Nglish: Translation of kitten for Spanish Speakers

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