kitten

UK: /ˈkɪt^ən/ US: /ˈkɪtən/ ,(kit′n)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

kit•ten /ˈkɪtən/   n. [countable]

1. a young cat.

kit•ten•ish, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

kit•ten  (kit′n), n. 

1. a young cat.

v.t., v.i. 

2. (of cats) to give birth;
   bear.

• Middle English kitoun, apparently blend of, blended kiteling kitling and Middle French chitoun, variant of chaton kitten 1350–1400

kit′ten•like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

kitten / ˈkɪt^ən/ noun

1. a young cat
2. have kittens, have a canary ⇒ to react with disapproval, anxiety, etc: she had kittens when she got the bill

verb

1. (of cats) to give birth to (young)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Northern French caton, from cat¹; probably influenced by Middle English kiteling