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CAT

CAT

189 4.6
A scan that uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed pictures of the inside of the body
  • noun
  • /kæt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : TAC
  • Alert X-ray for a CAT scan.
  • a CAT scan
  • CAT tomography
  • axial CAT scan

Examples

  • New sophisticated scanners, which use medical CAT scan technology, could search all people and luggage for explosives.

    Academic text (1997)
  • If soft tissue or viscera is involved, a CAT scan or MRI may be ordered.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Now, listen, you owe me a CAT scan.

  • The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) assesses the impact of COPD on the patient's life.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The doctor recommended a CAT scan to get a clear view of the patient's internal organs.

  • After the accident, she needed a CAT scan to check for any potential injuries.

  • He underwent a CAT scan to help diagnose the cause of his chronic pain.

Synonyms

CT
vsCAT
  • Specialized
52 3.7

A medical scan that uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the inside of the body

highlights the single-axis reconstruction aspect more than this phrasing
CAT scan
vsCAT
  • Specialized
42 3.2

A medical test that makes detailed pictures of the inside of the body using X-rays

is the imaging method itself rather than the resulting picture
CT scan
vsCAT
  • Specialized
26 3.2

A medical test using X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the inside of the body

refers specifically to reconstruction from scans taken along a single axis
computed tomography
vsCAT
  • Specialized
1 3.6

A medical scan using X-rays and a computer to make pictures of the body's inside

focuses more on single-axis reconstruction than this description
1 4.1

A medical scan using X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the inside of the body

emphasizes reconstruction from scans taken along a single axis
computed axial tomography
vsCAT
  • Specialized
4.3

A medical scan that uses X-rays and a computer to make thin pictures of the inside of the body

is the same method but defined without stressing the single axis
computerized axial tomography
vsCAT
  • Specialized
4.8

A scan that uses X rays and a computer to make thin pictures of the inside of the body

is the broader technique not limited to emphasizing one axis

Idioms

18 5.7

A secret people now know

To tell a secret that should be kept

1 9.6

Nervous and unable to stay still

Very nervous and unable to stay still because of worry or excitement

to bell the cat
  • Informal
9.9

To take on a difficult or risky task that others refuse to do

A thing or deal you accept before you know its real value that often turns out disappointing

Very different from each other in important ways

A humorous remark to greet someone who arrives unexpectedly or looking messy

7.8

To be very funny in a silly way that makes people laugh

To smile in a proud, secret way because you feel pleased with yourself

To say or do something that causes strong reactions and confusion among people

To be very quiet when other people expect you to speak

A person who looks very pleased because they have a secret success

To wait and see how a situation turns out before deciding

to whip the cat
  • Informal
9.9

To do small fun things to stop worrying

Compounds

CAT scan
  • Specialized
42 3.2

A medical test that makes detailed pictures of the inside of the body using X-rays

28 1.0

Food made for cats to eat

fat cat
  • Offensive
22 6.3

A rich, powerful person who seems greedy and has too much power

12 2.8

Large wild cats like lions or tigers that can roar

kitty-cat
  • Baby Talk
12 3.5

A pet cat people call in a friendly way to children

9 1.0

A small cat kept as a pet in a home

8 7.1

A person who quietly climbs into buildings through upper windows or roofs to steal things

cat lady
  • Offensive
8 7.3

A woman who owns many cats and often seems socially awkward

7 1.3

A cat that has no owner and lives outside

cool cat
  • Archaic
4 8.4

A person who is stylish, confident, and relaxed

4 2.9

A cat with no home that lives on the streets

cat piss
  • Vulgar
3 8.2

A strong, bad smell from cat pee

fraidy-cat
  • Informal
3 8.1

A person who gets scared easily

Cheshire cat
  • Literature
3 7.9

A cat in a story with a wide, strange smile that can disappear

3 1.0

A small furry animal people keep as a pet that often catches mice

jungle cat
  • Indian
3 6.7

A medium-sized wild cat that lives near rivers and in grasslands in Asia and northeastern Africa

scaredy-cat
  • Offensive
3 7.4

A person who gets scared easily by not very dangerous things

cat and mouse
  • Baby Talk
2 5.0

A children's game where players hold hands in a circle and try to catch someone inside

cat box
  • US
2 1.0

A box filled with litter that a cat uses as a toilet indoors

1 9.9

A whip with nine knotted cords used to beat people as punishment, often on ships or in prisons

top cat
  • Informal
1 7.5

A person who is in charge of a group and makes the main decisions

1 1.3

A cat with patches of black, white and orange fur

1 1.0

A small cut on the skin from a cat's claws

CAT scanner
  • Specialized
1 3.0

A machine that makes detailed pictures of the inside of the body using X-ray images from different angles

1 1.5

A long-haired cat with a round face, short nose, and calm nature

1 1.0

A domestic cat with striped or spotted fur often with an M mark on the forehead

1 1.0

A slim short-haired cat with blue eyes and a pale body with darker ears, face, paws, and tail tip

1 9.3

A short rise in price after a long fall that then goes down again

A slender short-haired cat with brown fur and a reddish undercoat

1 3.4

A long-haired domestic cat with a thin body and silky fur from Turkey

1 9.1

A large dark brown North American animal that climbs trees to hunt small animals

9.9

A large reddish-brown mammal like a raccoon that lives in trees in Southeast Asia

6.8

Large catfish with bluish skin that lives in the Mississippi valley

A large freshwater catfish with long whiskers and blue-gray color that lives in the Mississippi River

A house cat with short hair, a compact body, and a solid dark brown or grey coat

caffer cat
  • Archaic
9.9

A wild cat from Africa and parts of Asia that is the ancestor of house cats

9.8

A carved decoration on a table or chair leg that looks like a cat's paw

cat scratch disease
  • Specialized
3.4

An infection from a cat scratch or bite that makes nearby glands swell and is usually mild

cat shark
  • Specialized
6.9

A small shark that lives on the sea floor and has eyes like a cat

6.5

A large tree squirrel from eastern North America with a bushy tail

8.5

A small reddish-brown tree squirrel from Europe and Asia with small fur tufts on its ears

4.2

A tight one-piece outfit that covers the body for dance or performance

9.9

A small plant from the Mediterranean with reddish-purple flowers that attracts cats

cat valium
  • NSFW
9.9

A slang name for the drug ketamine used by people to feel very calm

A life where two people who live together often argue

cat and rat
  • Baby Talk
8.0

A circle game where players join hands and raise them to let a child pass while another catches them

8.4

A small reddish-brown animal like a raccoon that lives in the eastern Himalayas and eats bamboo

cat cracker
  • Specialized
7.0

A machine at an oil plant that turns heavy oil into lighter fuel like petrol or diesel

A program that looks after stray cats and finds them homes

A person who breeds and cares for cats as a hobby

5.0

A small insect that lives on cats and other animals and drinks their blood

cat rig
  • Specialized
9.3

A sail setup for a small boat with one mast near the front and one sail

6.2

A common North American freshwater catfish often caught for food

8.4

A small cat-like animal from Asia or Africa that makes a strong smell used in perfume

8.1

A raccoon-like animal from Mexico and southwestern US with a long bushy tail with black-and-white rings

3.0

A cat that lives outdoors and is cared for by people in the neighborhood

durn cat
  • Informal
9.9

A cat that causes trouble and annoys people, said jokingly or with mild annoyance

A house cat from Egypt that people kept and loved long ago

flying cat
  • Philippine
9.9

A night animal that lives in trees in Southeast Asia and glides using a skin fold from neck to tail

9.9

A large meat-eating animal from Madagascar that climbs trees to catch lemurs

leopard cat
  • Indian
7.4

A small wild cat from Southeast Asia with spots like a leopard

A domestic cat with long, soft fur

A small lemur from Madagascar with a long tail that has black and white rings

4.9

A cat with short blue-grey fur and a gentle nature

4.5

A type of cat with a very short or no tail

9.5

Small spotted wild cat that lives in trees in Central and South America

A small wild mammal like a weasel that lives in trees and hunts small animals

9.9

A small animal like a raccoon with a long tail with black and white rings

9.8

A small shy mammal that gives off a strong smell and lives in marshes or forests

Small wild cat with long body and tail that looks like a weasel and lives in tropical Americas

native cat
  • Australian
9.2

A small Australian animal that looks like a cat and carries its babies in a pouch

An animal like a raccoon that has a long bushy tail with black and white rings

A small wild cat from Central and South America that is active at night and has dark spots

Surface Forms

CAT singular
CATS plural

Etymology

CAT comes from the first letters of computerized axial tomography, the name for a method that makes detailed 'slice' pictures of the body. So, think of a CAT as a scan that takes many thin 'slices' and shows them on a screen, which helps doctors see inside the body clearly.