kitten
gb/kˈɪtən/ us/kˈɪtən/
A2
English
~ 9600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
a young cat
A baby cat.
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] kitten
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse “kitten” with “kitty.” “Kitten” is the standard word for a young cat. “Kitty” is a cute or childish word for any cat, not only a young one.
Synonyms
baby cat (Very clear and simple, but more descriptive than standard; mainly used with children or learners.)
|
young cat (Neutral and clear but slightly more technical than the common word “kitten.”)
Antonyms
adult cat (Contrasts the young age of a kitten with a fully grown cat.)
Collocations
cute kitten
|fluffy kitten
|tiny kitten
|rescue kitten
|kitten videos
|adopt a kitten
Themes
animals
|pets
|daily life
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They adopted a tiny grey kitten from the shelter.
- The kitten chased a piece of string around the living room.
- Please be gentle when you pick up the kitten.
- Our cat had four kittens last spring.
- The children were excited to see the kittens open their eyes for the first time.
Learner examples
- The kitten sleeps on my bed.
- She has a black and white kitten.
- The kitten plays with the ball.
- We see a small kitten in the garden.
- My brother wants a kitten for his birthday.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
2
playful term of endearment
A cute, friendly name you call someone you like, using the word “kitten.”
Usage pattern:
to call [someone] ‘kitten’
Common mistake:
Learners may think this word is always cute and safe. In real life, calling someone “kitten” can sound too intimate, flirtatious, or even disrespectful, especially if you do not know the person well.
Synonyms
baby (A very common romantic nickname; “kitten” sounds more playful or teasing.)
|
sweetie (Neutral and kind; “kitten” is less common and often feels more playful or flirtatious.)
Antonyms
stranger (You normally do not use this kind of intimate nickname for someone you do not know.)
Collocations
hey, kitten
|easy there, kitten
|listen, kitten
|calm down, kitten
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|communication
Examples
- “Easy, kitten,” he said with a smile, trying to calm her down.
- She laughed and said, “Thanks, kitten,” when her partner brought her coffee.
- In the movie, he keeps calling his girlfriend “kitten,” which shows their playful relationship.
- “Come here, kitten,” she said to her daughter, holding out her arms.
Learner examples
- He calls his girlfriend “kitten” when he is joking.
- In the film, a man says, “Hey, kitten,” to his wife.
- She uses “kitten” as a sweet name for her child.
- Some people do not like being called “kitten.”
Verb
technical
C1
action
3
for a cat to give birth
When a cat has baby cats.
Usage pattern:
[a cat] kittens [time]
Common mistake:
This verb meaning is quite rare in everyday speech. Learners usually only need the noun “kitten.” It is more natural to say “Our cat had kittens” than “Our cat kittened.”
Synonyms
give birth (General term for all animals and humans; “kitten” is specific to cats producing kittens.)
|
litter (As a verb, also used with animals but less specific to cats than “kitten.”)
Antonyms
remain pregnant (Describes the opposite state, when the cat has not yet given birth.)
Collocations
the cat kittened
|when she kittened
|about to kitten
Themes
animals
|science
|nature
Examples
- The stray cat kittened under our porch last night.
- Our vet thinks she will kitten in the next few days.
- Once she has kittened, we will help find homes for the litter.
Learner examples
- The cat will kitten soon.
- Our cat kittened last week.
- After she kittened, we saw four baby cats.
Grammar
Dictionary form
kitten
IPA
GB/kˈɪtən/
US/kˈɪtən/
Syllables & stress
kit - ten (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (kit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: kitten
- Plural: kittens
Verb
- Base: kitten
- 3rd Person Singular: kittens
- Present Participle: kittening
- Past: kittened
Word family
Expressions
have kittens
1/hˈæv kˈɪtənz/
idiom
informal
be very upset or angry
To be very upset, worried, or angry about something, often more than is necessary.
Examples
- My parents will have kittens if they see how late I got home.
- She nearly had kittens when she found out her son had crashed the car.
- The manager had kittens over the spelling mistake in the ad.
kitten heels
1/kˈɪtən hˈilz/
fixed phrase
women’s shoes with low heels
Women’s shoes with a short, thin heel that is not very high.
Examples
- She wore black kitten heels to keep the outfit smart but comfortable.
- Kitten heels are popular with people who don’t like very high shoes.
- These kitten heels look elegant with both jeans and dresses.