adj

catty

KA-tee

Catty (adj) means Deliberately spiteful or snide in a subtle, needling way. Example: “She made a catty remark about her coworker's outfit.”

adj

Deliberately spiteful or snide in a subtle, needling way.

"She made a catty remark about her coworker's outfit."

"The comments under the post got increasingly catty."

How to use catty

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMean in a sly, indirect way — snide rather than openly aggressive.

Common pairings

a catty comment catty remarks

Word forms

cattier comparative, catties plural, cattys plural, catties plural, cattiest superlative

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She made a _____ remark about her coworker's outfit.

Etymology

From cat + -y, likening sharp, sly remarks to a cat's hidden claws.

Rhymes for catty

batty fatty natty Patty ratty Matty chatty Beatty

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Frequently asked questions

What does “catty” mean?

The word “catty” means deliberately spiteful or snide in a subtle, needling way. In plain terms, mean in a sly, indirect way — snide rather than openly aggressive.

How do you pronounce “catty”?

“Catty” is pronounced KA-tee ([ˈkʰæɾi] in IPA).

How do you use “catty” in a sentence?

Here is “catty” used in a sentence: “She made a catty remark about her coworker's outfit.”

What part of speech is “catty”?

“Catty” is an adjective.