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Glite Dictionary
catamountain

catamountain

9.9
A wild cat found in Europe with thick bushy fur and a tail that looks like a large house cat
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : gato montés
  • Some naturalists believe the catamountain is the direct ancestor of today's domestic cats.

Examples

  • The fur of the catamountain is thicker and bushier than that of a household pet.

  • The catamountain is rarely seen in the dense forests of Scotland.

  • The catamountain is known for its agility.

  • Many people are unaware of the catamountain species.

  • Some naturalists believe the catamountain is the direct ancestor of today's domestic cats.

  • The catamountain is rarely seen in the dense forests of Scotland.

  • The fur of the catamountain is thicker and bushier than that of a household pet.

Synonyms

wildcat
vscatamountain
49 3.0

A small or medium wild animal like a cat that lives in forests and open fields

is narrower, naming specifically the bushy-tailed ancestor rather than any wild feline
Felis silvestris
vscatamountain
  • Specialized
8.9

A wild cat with a bushy tail that lives in European forests and that domestic cats come from

is the older common name form rather than the scientific species label
European wildcat
vscatamountain
  • UK
6.5

A wild cat that lives in European forests and has a bushy tail

is a rarer historic term for that same ancestral feline

Surface Forms

catamountain singular
catamountains plural

Morphology

catamountain = cat + mountain (transparent) = cat + mountain

Formed from the clear combination 'cat' + 'mountain' meaning a mountain-dwelling cat; the meaning is directly inferable by an average learner.

Etymology

Catamountain comes from the simple parts cat and mountain, so it says 'cat of the mountain' and brings to mind a wild, bushy-tailed cat living in hills and forests. That's why catamountain is used for a wildcat often thought to be the 'ancestor' of today's pet cats.