feline

adjective

fe·​line ˈfē-ˌlīn 

1

: of, relating to, or affecting cats or the cat family

2

: resembling a cat: such as

a

: sleekly graceful

b

: sly, treacherous

c

: stealthy

feline noun

felinely adverb

felinity

fē-ˈli-nə-tē 

noun

Did you know?

Cats have always provoked a strong reaction from humans. The Egyptians worshipped them, leaving thousands of feline mummies and idols as evidence. In the Middle Ages, felines were feared as agents of the devil, and were thought to creep around silently at night doing evil. (Notice that feline is also a noun.) The fascinating family called the Felidae includes about 40 species of superb hunters, including the lions, tigers, jaguars, cheetahs, cougars, bobcats, and lynxes, and almost all of them are smooth, silent, and independent.

Synonyms

• agile
• featly
• graceful
• gracile
• light
• light-footed
• light-foot
• lightsome
• lissome
• lissom
• lithe
• lithesome
• nimble
• spry

Examples of feline in a Sentence

They move with feline agility.

the thief was eerily feline as he moved stealthily through the darkened rooms

Recent Examples on the Web

While bananas are a sweet, nutritious snack for humans, the idea of sharing this tropical treat with your feline friend may raise questions. —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2025

Even before the cattle outbreak, there were feline cases linked to wild birds or poultry. —CBS News, 1 Jan. 2025

How to Remove Stains from Cats If your feline friend ends up with food stains, like Snowy, here are some tips from The Seep Company's blog to clean them naturally and safely. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024

Javelina records are likely to be determined by skull dimensions, similar to how the club assesses bear and feline trophy submissions. —Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin felinus, from felis

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing feline

• feline distemper
• feline panleukopenia

Kids Definition

feline

1 of 2 adjective

fe·​line

ˈfē-ˌlīn

1

a

: belonging to the family of flesh-eating mammals with soft fur that includes the cats, lions, tigers, leopards, pumas, and lynxes

b

: of or resembling a cat : characteristic of cats

2

: sly sense 1, stealthy

feline

2 of 2 noun

: a feline animal : cat

Medical Definition

feline

adjective

fe·​line ˈfē-ˌlīn 

: of, relating to, or affecting cats or the family Felidae

feline noun