catnip

noun

cat·​nip ˈkat-ˌnip 

1

: a strong-scented perennial mint (Nepeta cataria) that has whorls of small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats

2

: something very attractive

Examples of catnip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Porter has only started seven games, and didn’t crack the starting lineup until his sixth season in college, but his elite combination of size, length and speed (9.99 RAS) will be catnip for coaches looking for a summer project. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025

To get that catnip frenzy, cats need only smell the catnip, but some cats will also chew catnip plants. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025

Gender has nothing to do with hungry families and schoolchildren, but Rollins injected culture war catnip into her justification anyway. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2025

There’s something about building a big portfolio of brands that’s like catnip for the fashion C-suite. —Evan Clark, WWD, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

cat entry 1 + obsolete nep catnip, from Middle English, from Old English nepte, from Latin nepeta

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

catnip

noun

cat·​nip -ˌnip 

: a strong-scented herb of the mint family that is especially attractive to cats

Medical Definition

catnip

noun

cat·​nip -ˌnip 

variants also catnep

-ˌnep, -nəp 

1

: a strong-scented mint (Nepeta cataria) that has small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats

called also cataria, catmint

2

: cataria sense 2