- catkin
- catkin 1570s, from Du. katteken "flowering stem of willow, hazel, etc.," lit. "kitten," dim. of katte "cat." So called for their soft, furry appearance.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
catkin
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Catkin — Cat kin (k[a^]t k[i^]n), n. [Cat + kin.] (Bot.) An ament; a species of inflorescence, consisting of a slender axis with many unisexual apetalous flowers along its sides, as in the willow and poplar, and (as to the staminate flowers) in the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
catkin — ► NOUN ▪ a spike of small soft flowers hanging from trees such as willow and hazel. ORIGIN from obsolete Dutch katteken kitten … English terms dictionary
catkin — [kat′kin] n. [Du katteken, dim. of katte, CAT1: from resemblance to a cat s tail] a drooping, deciduous, scaly spike of unisexual flowers without petals, as on poplars, walnuts, and birches; ament: see INFLORESCENCE … English World dictionary
Catkin — A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster, with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect pollinated (as in Salix ). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged closely along… … Wikipedia
catkin — UK [ˈkætkɪn] / US noun [countable] Word forms catkin : singular catkin plural catkins a long soft group of small flowers that hangs from the branches of willows and some other trees … English dictionary
çatkın — sf. Çatık Müftü bunu işitince çatkın bir çehre ile geldi. R. N. Güntekin … Çağatay Osmanlı Sözlük
catkin — [[t]kæ̱tkɪn[/t]] catkins N COUNT A catkin is a long, thin, soft flower that hangs on some trees, for example birch trees and hazel trees … English dictionary
catkin — noun Etymology: from its resemblance to a cat s tail Date: 1578 a spicate inflorescence (as of the willow, birch, or oak) bearing scaly bracts and unisexual usually apetalous flowers called also ament … New Collegiate Dictionary
catkin — catkinate /kat keuh nayt /, adj. /kat kin/, n. Bot. a spike of unisexual, apetalous flowers having scaly, usually deciduous bracts, as of a willow or birch. Also called ament. [1570 80; < D katteken little cat (now obs.). See CAT1, KIN] * * *… … Universalium
catkin — noun A type of inflorescence, consisting of a slender axis with many unisexual apetalous flowers along its sides, as in the willow and poplar … Wiktionary
