tiger cat
- noun
- /ˈtaɪɡər kæt/
:
gato atigrado
- With its beautiful striped fur, the tiger cat stood out among the other pets.
Examples
-
My sister adopted a playful tiger cat that loves to chase after toys.
-
"Harry leaned over and scooped up the reluctant tiger cat who was relishing the archduke's discomfort.
Fiction book (1995) -
After the ceremony, Harry and Mrs. Hogendobber returned to Oliver Zeve's house, where Mrs. Murphy and Tee Tucker, Harry's tiger cat and Welsh corgi respectively, awaited her.
Fiction book (1995) -
The tiger cat curled up on the windowsill, soaking in the warm sunshine.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A small, furry pet or a large wild animal like a lion
155
1.0
A house cat people call in a friendly way, often by children
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
3
1.0
A small furry animal people keep as a pet that often catches mice
1
1.0
A domestic cat with striped or spotted fur often with an M mark on the forehead
How Striped
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a straightforward noun+noun describing a cat that is tiger-like; the meaning (a cat with tiger-like stripes or appearance) is directly derivable from 'tiger' + 'cat'. Such descriptive compounds are productive in English and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Tiger cat gets its name from its striped fur: people thought the little cat looked like a tiny tiger. So the name means 'a domestic cat with a striped coat'.