Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

catfight

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.12 in modern English

Syllables: cat-fight
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fight between cats.

noun

A fight or bickering, especially between women.

Slang

Example Sentences

"The caterwauling from the catfight in the back yard was awful; I couldn't get to sleep until it was over."
"Nancy and Sheila got into a catfight when Nancy's boyfriend cheated on her with Sheila."
"Female conflict, seen in this kind of structure, works conveniently—it takes note of aggression in women and sets it against other women. Men are spared. The audience applauds. Everyone loves a catfight."
"There was a time when I would get furious and fire off an angry note if someone cast me in a catfight with a woman colleague. I assumed that catfights would fade as women progressed. They seemed so retro."

Etymology

From cat + fight. So named because, like cats, scratching is a common defensive tactic among women, as opposed to a fistfight between men.

Usage

Slang

Inflected Forms

catfights (plural) cat fight (alternative)

Phrases

handbags at dawn the handbags come out

Frequently Paired Words

catty handbags handbags at dawn the handbags come out meow! dogfight

Synonyms

hairpulling contest scragfight

Questions

What does catfight mean?: A fight between cats.
Where does catfight come from?: From cat + fight. So named because, like cats, scratching is a common defensive tactic among women, as opposed to a fistfight between men.

How to pronounce catfight

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “catfight”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “catfight” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.