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Glite Dictionary
playful meow

playful meow

4.5
A light, friendly sound a cat makes to invite play
  • noun
translation icon : maullido juguetón
  • The kitten greeted her with a playful meow as soon as she walked in.

Examples

  • With a playful meow, the cat teased its owner into playing another game.

  • I love hearing my cat's playful meows in the morning.

  • His cat let out a playful meow while chasing the string toy across the floor.

  • The kitten let out a playful meow.

  • His cat let out a playful meow while chasing the string toy across the floor.

  • The kitten greeted her with a playful meow as soon as she walked in.

  • With a playful meow, the cat teased its owner into playing another game.

Synonyms

meow
vsplayful meow
48 1.0

A short sound that a cat makes

is specifically a teasing, lighthearted cat sound not just the ordinary sound
mew
vsplayful meow
3 6.7

A soft high sound that a kitten makes

is a light, teasing cat sound rather than primarily soft or high-pitched
mewing
vsplayful meow
1 1.0

A short high sound made by a cat or young bird

is a teasing cat sound rather than a brief chirp-like cry
nyau
vsplayful meow
  • Informal
9.9

A playful sound like a cat's meow to call a cat

is a teasing, lighthearted cat sound rather than a simple attention call
miaul
vsplayful meow
9.9

A high, often soft sound that a cat makes to get attention

is the playful, teasing version rather than a neutral written cry

Antonyms

growl
76 1.6

A low, deep sound an animal makes to warn or show anger

How Playful

playful meow
4.5
meow
48 1.0
mew
3 6.7
purr
14 1.0

Surface Forms

playful meow singular
playful meows plural

Morphology

playful + meow

The meaning 'a lighthearted or teasing sound made by a cat' is directly and compositionally derived from 'playful' (lively, lighthearted) modifying 'meow' (a cat vocalization). This adjective + noun pattern is literal and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Playful meow comes from the simple image of a playful cat making a soft meow to ask for fun. When a kitten makes this happy, teasing sound it is like saying 'play with me', so the phrase means a light, teasing cat sound.