Catty

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æti
• Homophones: caddie, caddy (in some dialects)

Alternative forms

• cattie

cat + -y

Full definition of catty

Adjective

1. (informal, of a person or remark) With subtle hostility in an effort to hurt, annoy, or upset.
2. (informal) Resembling or characteristic of a cat.a catty smell

Synonyms

• (spiteful) bitchy derogatory, cattish, malicious, nasty, snide, spiteful

From Malay kati, from languages, Mandarin: æ–¤

Noun

noun

1. A (unit of) weight used in China, generally standardized as half a kilogram.
• 2009, Huaiyin Li, Village China Under Socialism and Reform: A Micro-History, 1948-2008, Stanford University Press, ISBN 978-0-8047-5974-8, page 94:To limit team members' consumption, it issued food stamps to the villagers and allowed everyone to eat one catty of rice a day.
• 1699, Captain William Dampier, A new voyage round the world, Volume 1:16 Mess, make a Tale, which here is 20 s. English, 5 Tale make a Bancal, a weight so called, and 20 Bancal make a Catty, another weight.
• 1847, Robert Montgomery Martin, China; Political, Commercial, and Social, Volume 2, James Madden (publisher), page 124:Transparent yellow pieces are the best; the price is from eight to fourteen dollars per catty, according to size and quality.