Dictionary

clowder en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈklaʊ̯dɚ/ (US)
• /ˈklaʊ̯də/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

A variation, recorded since 1801, of clutter, itself from clot, from Old English clott (“round mass, lump”), from Proto-Germanic *klūtaz (hence cognate with Dutch kloot (“ball, testicle”), Danish klods (“a block, lump”) and German Klotz (“lump, block”)).

Meanings

1. (collective) A group of cats or other small felines.
   • A Brooklyn friend who persists in feeding the host of creatures - including me - who appear at her door will be delighted to know that the most nonchalant recipients of her largesse may be referred to as a clowder of cats. 1984 15 April, Nelson Bryant, “Bevies of Terms Befuddle Prides”, in The New York Times
   • Real cat fights are rare in established clowders. So instead of risking serious injury, cats resort to menace and threats. 2007, Kathryn Soper, Cat Wrangling Made Easy:
   • 2011, M.D. Pueppke, Fuzzy the Cat, The One and Only, “Getting on terms with the terms” How ‛bout organizing a party of clowder chowder. You know, big servings of chowder for the cat clowder.
   • 2010, The Big Bang Theory, episode “The Zazzy Substitution” Leonard: You’re clearly upset about Amy being gone, and you’re trying to replace her with a bunch of cats. Sheldon: Clowder. Leonard: What? Sheldon: A group of cats is a clowder. Or a glaring. It’s the kind of thing you ought to know now that we have one.

Forms

Relateds

pride

Synonyms

clutter · glaring

Translations (1)

eo kataro (group of cats)