feline
/ˈfiːlaɪn/
adjective
Origin
Latin
fēlis — cat
Overview
Meaning Now
- Relating to or affecting cats or other members of the cat family (Felidae).
- Resembling or characteristic of a cat, especially in grace, agility, or stealthy movement.
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
feline
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term enters English during the scientific Enlightenment when Latin was the primary language of biological classification. It provided a precise technical alternative to the Germanic word 'cat'.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*dʰeh₁-
“to suck, suckle”
Root for 'nursing animal'
- Latin
fēlis
“cat, marten, or polecat”
- Modern Latin
felīnus
“pertaining to a cat”
- English, 17th century
feline
“relating to cats”
Direct borrowing from Latin felinus
Connections
Word parts
feline
root
cat
Related across languages
French
félin
feline
Italian
felino
feline
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Related to feline
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.