Meaning & use
kitten
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A young cat, especially one that is not yet fully grown.
Grammar: Countable: one kitten, two kittens.
Patterns
- a litter of kittens
- kitten food
- play like a kitten
The kitten chased a ball of yarn across the floor.
We adopted two kittens from the animal shelter.
The mother cat licked her kittens clean.
nouncountable
A young animal of certain other species, such as a rabbit or fox.
Grammar: Usually used with the animal name: 'a rabbit kitten' or 'a fox kitten'.
Patterns
- rabbit kitten
- fox kitten
The rabbit gave birth to a litter of kittens.
A fox kitten peeked out from the den.
Word forms
| plural | kittens |
|---|
Common combinations
- kitten heels
- She wore black kitten heels to the party.
- have kittens
- My mother had kittens when I told her I was moving abroad.
- a litter of kittens
- The cat gave birth to a litter of five kittens.
- kittenish
- She gave him a kittenish smile.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- kittenish adjective
- Playful or flirtatious in a way like a kitten.
- kitty noun
- Informal word for a cat or kitten.
Commonly confused: kitten or kitten?
kitten vs kitten
Not to be confused with 'kitchen' (the room where you cook).
Practice
Which sentence uses 'kitten' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Kitten is a noun for a young cat. Option 1 uses it correctly. The others confuse it with a verb, adjective, or noun meaning 'core'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kitten”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.