noun

mew

MYOO

Mew (noun) means the soft crying sound made by a cat, especially a kitten. Example: “The kitten gave a tiny mew from under the sofa.”

noun

The soft crying sound made by a cat, especially a kitten.

"The kitten gave a tiny mew from under the sofa."

verb

To make this crying sound, like a cat.

"The cat mewed at the door until someone let it in."

To confine or shut something away (an older usage).

"The prisoner was mewed up in a small cell for years."

How to use mew

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe sound a cat makes, or (in an old-fashioned sense) to lock something away.

Word forms

mewed past tense, mewed past tense, mewed past tense, mews plural, mews plural, mews plural, mews singular, mews singular, mews singular

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The kitten gave a tiny _____ from under the sofa.

Etymology

From Old English mǣw ("seagull"), though the cat-cry sense developed separately as an imitation of the sound itself.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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meow miaou miaow miaul sea mew mew gull

Related words

meow miaul purr

Frequently asked questions

What does “mew” mean?

The word “mew” means the soft crying sound made by a cat, especially a kitten. In plain terms, the sound a cat makes, or (in an old-fashioned sense) to lock something away.

How do you pronounce “mew”?

“Mew” is pronounced MYOO (/ˈmjuː/ in IPA).

How do you use “mew” in a sentence?

Here is “mew” used in a sentence: “The kitten gave a tiny mew from under the sofa.”

What part of speech is “mew”?

Depending on how it is used, “mew” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “mew” come from?

The word “mew” comes from Old English. From Old English mǣw ("seagull"), though the cat-cry sense developed separately as an imitation of the sound itself.

How many meanings does “mew” have?

“Mew” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the soft crying sound made by a cat, especially a kitten.

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