English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

noun

scat

skat

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Scat (noun) means Animal droppings. Example: “The tracker identified the animal from its scat.”

noun

1

Animal droppings.

"The tracker identified the animal from its scat."

2

A style of jazz singing using improvised, wordless syllables instead of lyrics.

"The singer broke into scat halfway through the solo."

verb

1

(informal) To leave quickly.

"The kids scatted when they heard the sirens."

interjection

1

Used to tell an animal or person to go away.

""Scat!" she yelled at the cat on the counter."

How to use scat

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAnimal droppings, a jazz-singing style, or a sharp command to leave.

When to use it

As a verb and interjection, "scat" is informal.

Common pairings

scat singing animal scat

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: scats
Third person singular: scats
Past tense: scatted

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The tracker identified the animal from its _____.

Etymology

Came into English via Middle English scet, schat, from both Old English sċeatt ("property, goods") and Old Norse skattr ("wealth, treaure"). Both of these trace back to Proto-Germanic *skattaz ("cattle, kine, wealth"), from Proto-Indo-European *skatn-, *skat- ("to jump, skip, splash out"). It is cognate with Scots scat ("tax, levy, charge, payment, bribe"), West Frisian skat ("treasure, darling"), Dutch schat ("treasure, hoard, darling, sweetheart"), German Schatz ("treasure, hoard, wealth, store, darling, sweetheart"), Swedish skatt ("treasure, tax, duty"), Icelandic skattur ("tax, tribute") and Latin scateō ("gush, team, bubble forth, abound").

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

escape lam scarper run bunk scag

Related words

go play run course control series miss running

Rhymes for scat

cat

See all rhymes for scat →

Frequently asked questions

What does “scat” mean?

The word “scat” means animal droppings. In plain terms, animal droppings, a jazz-singing style, or a sharp command to leave.

How do you pronounce “scat”?

“Scat” is pronounced skat (/skæt/ in IPA).

How do you use “scat” in a sentence?

Here is “scat” used in a sentence: “The tracker identified the animal from its scat.”

What is another word for “scat”?

Words with a similar meaning to “scat” include scag.

What part of speech is “scat”?

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

How many meanings does “scat” have?

“Scat” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: animal droppings.

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