Meaning & use
catamounts
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“catamounts” is a form of “catamount”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nouncountableold-fashionedregional
Large wild cats of North America, especially cougars or lynxes.
Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is 'catamount'. Use it with a plural verb: 'Catamounts live in the mountains.'
Patterns
- a catamount in the wild
- catamounts of North America
Early settlers reported seeing catamounts in the dense forests.
The zoo has two catamounts that were rescued as cubs.
Catamounts are rarely spotted because they are shy and nocturnal.
Word forms
| singular | catamount |
|---|
Common combinations
- a pack of catamounts
- A pack of catamounts was said to roam these hills.
- catamounts in the wild
- Catamounts in the wild are solitary animals.
- hunt catamounts
- In the past, hunters would hunt catamounts for their fur.
- a catamount's territory
- A catamount's territory can cover many square miles.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cougar
- This is the more common modern term for the same animal, especially in North America.
- mountain lion
- Another common name for the cougar, widely used in everyday English.
- lynx
- A different wild cat with a short tail and tufted ears; 'catamount' can sometimes refer to a lynx, but 'lynx' is more specific.
Word family
- catamount noun
- Singular form of the same word.
Commonly confused: catamounts or catamountain?
catamounts vs catamountain
An archaic variant of 'catamount', but now very rare. Do not confuse with 'catamounts'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'catamounts' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Catamounts' is a plural noun, so it takes a plural verb: 'Catamounts are native to North America.' Option A uses a singular verb with a plural noun. Option B uses 'a' with a plural noun. Option D uses 'catamounts' as a verb, which is incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “catamounts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.