grimalkin

grimalkin
grimalkin 1620s, name given to a cat (Cf. Shakespeare's Gray-Malkin, in "Macbeth," 1605), hence any cat, especially an old she-cat; from GRAY (Cf. gray) + MALKIN (Cf. Malkin), dim. of fem. proper name Matilda or Maud.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Grimalkin — and Greymalkin have various uses:CatsGrimalkin was the name of the cat of Nostradamus [Stall (2007), p. 143.] , and later the witches cat Gray Malkin in Macbeth [ Shakespeare, written circa 1603 1606, published in the first folio 1623; see image… …   Wikipedia

  • Grimalkin — Gri*mal kin, n. [For graymalkin; gray + malkin.] 1. An old cat, especially a she cat. J. Philips. [1913 Webster] 2. A bad tempered old woman. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • grimalkin — [gri mal′kin, grimôl′kin] n. [earlier gray malkin] 1. a cat; esp., an old female cat 2. a malicious old woman …   English World dictionary

  • grimalkin — noun Etymology: gray + malkin Date: 1630 a domestic cat; especially an old female cat …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • grimalkin — /gri mal kin, mawl /, n. 1. a cat. 2. an old female cat. 3. an ill tempered old woman. [1595 1605; appar. alter. of GRAY + malkin, dim. of Maud proper name; see KIN] * * * …   Universalium

  • grimalkin — noun /ɡrɪˈmæl.kɪn,ɡrɪˈmɔːl.kɪn/ a) A cat, especially an elderly female. b) An old, bad tempered woman; a crone. Syn: old, woman, crone …   Wiktionary

  • grimalkin — Synonyms and related words: Cheshire cat, Chinchilla cat, Jezebel, Maltese cat, alley cat, beldam, bitch kitty, blue cat, calico cat, cat, feline, fury, gib, gib cat, hag, hellcat, hellhag, house cat, kit, kitling, kitten, kitty, kitty cat,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • grimalkin — gri·mal·kin || grɪ mælkɪn n. cat; old female cat; irritable old woman …   English contemporary dictionary

  • grimalkin — [grɪ malkɪn, mɔ:l ] noun archaic 1》 a cat. 2》 a spiteful old woman. Origin C16: from grey + Malkin (familiar form of the given name Matilda) …   English new terms dictionary

  • grimalkin — gri·mal·kin …   English syllables

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