scat

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈskat 

scatted; scatting

intransitive verb

1

: to go away quickly

2

: to move fast : scoot

scat

2 of 5

noun (1)

: animal fecal droppings

For many animals, particularly predatory ones, scat is a calling card that marks territory and leaves information.

—Terri Schlichenmeyer

scat

3 of 5

noun (2)

: jazz singing with nonsense syllables

scat

4 of 5

verb (2)

scatted; scatting

intransitive verb

: to improvise nonsense syllables usually to an instrumental accompaniment : sing scat

SCAT

5 of 5

abbreviation

1

School and College Ability Test

2

supersonic commercial air transport

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• dirt
• doo-doo
• dropping
• dung
• excrement
• excreta
• feces
• ordure
• poop
• slops
• soil
• waste

Examples of scat in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a tracker who could identify any animal from its scat alone

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The crash caused an explosion scatting debris, setting some homes and cars on fire and injuring some people on the ground, officials said. —Chris Ullery, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025

He was arraigned on charges of loitering and prowling at night, criminal mischief, disturbing the peace, criminal trespass, evading arrest on furry feet, scatting rubbing and a bunch of summaries for smelling bad. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024

Noun

Second, there was a lot of bear scat all around me, maybe 25 different heaps in a 30-foot circle around the lodge’s front door. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025

In the living room, Fadden found bear scat, a foot in diameter. —Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

scat, interjection used to drive away a cat

Noun (1)

perhaps from Greek skat-, skōr excrement — more at scatology

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1927, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1929, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1935, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scat

• at
• bat
• batt
• brat
• cat
• chat
• fat
• flat
• gat
• gnat
• hat
• kat

Kids Definition

scat

1 of 4 verb

ˈskat 

scatted; scatting

1

: to go away quickly

—often used to drive away an animal (as a cat)

2

: to move fast : scoot

scat

2 of 4 noun

: the feces deposited by an animal

bear scat

scat

3 of 4 noun

: jazz singing with meaningless syllables

scat

4 of 4 verb

scatted; scatting

: to sing by making up meaningless syllables to go with the music