General
cattywampus
What does cattywampus mean?
Describes something not properly aligned—tilted, off-kilter, or in disarray. Also spelled catawampus.
"He hung that picture all cattywampus."
Origin
American coinage from the 1830s–40s; likely from obsolete "cater" (to move diagonally) plus a fanciful ending, part of the mock-classical slang of the era.
Frequently asked questions
What does cattywampus mean?
Cattywampus means askew, crooked, or diagonally out of line, describing something tilted, off-kilter, or in disarray.
How do you spell cattywampus?
It's spelled 'cattywampus' or 'catawampus,' with several informal variants.
Where does cattywampus come from?
It's an American coinage from the 1830s–40s, likely from the obsolete 'cater' (to move diagonally) plus a fanciful ending.
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