Word of the Day : October 30, 2018

caterwaul \KAT-er-wawl\ verb

Definition

1 : to make a harsh cry

2 : to protest or complain noisily

Did You Know?

An angry (or amorous) cat can make a lot of noise. As long ago as the mid-1300s, English speakers were using caterwaul for the act of voicing feline passions. The cater part is, of course, connected to the cat, but scholars disagree about whether it traces to Middle Dutch cāter, meaning "tomcat," or if it is really just cat with an "-er" added. The waul is probably imitative in origin; it represents the feline howl itself. English's first caterwaul was a verb focused on feline vocalizations, but by the 1600s it was also being used for similar non-cat noises and for noisy people or things.

Aired October 30, 2018

All Merriam-Webster content is available at www.merriam-webster.com