Alteration of earlier mew, from Middle English mewen, mouwen (“to mew, meow”), of onomatopoeic origin.
Compare Saterland Frisian mauje, miauje (“to meow”), West Frisian miaukje (“to meow”), Dutch miauwen (“to meow”), Middle Low German mauwen, mawen, mouwen (“to meow”) (whence modern German Low German mauen, miauen (“to meow”)), Middle High German mouen, modern German miauen (“to meow”). Some spellings were modelled on French miaou.
Meow and its spelling variants entered widespread currency in the 19th century, mostly replacing mew, possibly because phonetic change meant that word had ceased to approximate a cat's cry (contrast the pronunciation of Middle English mewen /ˈmɛu̯ən/ compared to modern /ˈmjuː/).
(mephedrone): Perhaps because of the drug's distinctive smell resembling cat urine.
Meanings
Used to indicate the cry of a cat.
“The last thing they had seen in 2012 before that break was a short from Simon’s Cat called ‘Cat Man Do,’” said Lamothe. “When you leave 800 people in the dark, they will do something. That’s what Fantasia is. But because they had just seen that cat go meow, they meowed.” 2024 January 8, Alison Foreman, “Why Do Audiences at Fantasia Fest … Meow?”, in IndieWire:
(colloquial) Used in reply to a spiteful or catty comment.
(colloquial) Used to express seductiveness, mimicking a growl.
lv mjau (cry of a cat) · hi म्याऊँ (cry of a cat) · cs mňau (cry of a cat) · it miao (cry of a cat) · bn ম্যাঁ (cry of a cat) · sl mjav (cry of a cat) · fi miau (cry of a cat) · ja にゃん (cry of a cat) · da mjav (cry of a cat) · ne म्याउ (cry of a cat) · zza niyaw (cry of a cat) · ia miau (cry of a cat) · et njäu (cry of a cat) · bg мя́у (cry of a cat) · haw ʻowau (cry of a cat) · sk mňau (cry of a cat) · ms miau (cry of a cat) · de miau (cry of a cat) · yue 喵 (cry of a cat) · kab mεiw (cry of a cat) · lo ເໝີວຍາ (cry of a cat) · ltg ņau (cry of a cat) · vo miov (cry of a cat) · bcl ngiyaw (cry of a cat) · vi ngoao (cry of a cat) · gl miau (cry of a cat) · sv mjau (cry of a cat) · es ñew (cry of a cat) · no mjau (cry of a cat) · la miau (cry of a cat) · id meong (cry of a cat) · et mäu (cry of a cat) · uk няв (cry of a cat) · et näu (cry of a cat) · cmn 咪咪 (cry of a cat) · he מיאו (cry of a cat) · ga míáú (cry of a cat) · ro miau (cry of a cat) · fo mjavv (cry of a cat) · fi mau (cry of a cat) · mn мяу (cry of a cat) · vi meo (cry of a cat) · nl miauw (cry of a cat) · gd miamha (cry of a cat) · de maunz (cry of a cat) · lb miau (cry of a cat) · sh мјау (cry of a cat) · be мяў (cry of a cat) · ba мыяу (cry of a cat) · et mjäu (cry of a cat) · nod ᩉ᩠ᨾᩢ᩠ᨿ᩠ᩅ (cry of a cat) · hu miau (cry of a cat) · ko 야옹 (cry of a cat) · sh mjau (cry of a cat) · yi מיאַו (cry of a cat) · ru мя́у (cry of a cat) · ja にゃあ (cry of a cat) · bn ম্যাঁও (cry of a cat) · is mjá (cry of a cat) · ta மியாவ் (cry of a cat) · kmr miyaw (cry of a cat) · ms ngeong (cry of a cat) · pt miau (cry of a cat) · eo miaŭ (cry of a cat) · tk maw (cry of a cat) · ckb میاو (cry of a cat) · eo miaŭ (said in reply to a spiteful comment) · tr miyav (cry of a cat) · sh мњау (cry of a cat) · haw ʻoau (cry of a cat) · ro miorlau (cry of a cat) · lt miau (cry of a cat) · dz སྨེ (cry of a cat) · lv ņau (cry of a cat) · ca meu (cry of a cat) · az miyov (cry of a cat) · el νιάου (cry of a cat) · es miau (cry of a cat) · fo mjarr (cry of a cat) · pl miau (cry of a cat) · tl ngiyaw (cry of a cat) · sh mnjau (cry of a cat) · da miav (cry of a cat) · kk мияу (cry of a cat) · be мяу (cry of a cat) · vi méo (cry of a cat) · fa میو (cry of a cat) · ms ngiau (cry of a cat) · kn ಮಿಯಾವ್ (cry of a cat) · ar مُوَاء (cry of a cat) · vi ngao (cry of a cat) · sq mjáu (cry of a cat) · es ñau (cry of a cat) · fr miaou (cry of a cat) · cmn 喵 (cry of a cat) · th เหมียว (cry of a cat) · tl ingaw (cry of a cat) · jra meo (cry of a cat) · km ង៉ាវៗ (cry of a cat) · te మ్యావ్ (cry of a cat)
Alteration of earlier mew, from Middle English mewen, mouwen (“to mew, meow”), of onomatopoeic origin.
Compare Saterland Frisian mauje, miauje (“to meow”), West Frisian miaukje (“to meow”), Dutch miauwen (“to meow”), Middle Low German mauwen, mawen, mouwen (“to meow”) (whence modern German Low German mauen, miauen (“to meow”)), Middle High German mouen, modern German miauen (“to meow”). Some spellings were modelled on French miaou.
Meow and its spelling variants entered widespread currency in the 19th century, mostly replacing mew, possibly because phonetic change meant that word had ceased to approximate a cat's cry (contrast the pronunciation of Middle English mewen /ˈmɛu̯ən/ compared to modern /ˈmjuː/).
(mephedrone): Perhaps because of the drug's distinctive smell resembling cat urine.
Meanings
(countable) The cry of a cat.
It’s from within that breathing room the meow finally emerged. […] These days every Fantasia screening begins with a cacophony of meows — timed by the audience to start and stop at black leader. 2024 January 8, Alison Foreman, “Why Do Audiences at Fantasia Fest … Meow?”, in IndieWire:
A cat’s meow and a cow’s moo, I can recite them all / Just tell me where it hurts you, honey 1968, Bob Dylan, “Quinn the Eskimo”:
vi meo meo (cry of a cat) · hi म्याऊँ (cry of a cat) · yue 喵 (cry of a cat) · it miao (cry of a cat) · ro mieunat (cry of a cat) · fr nyaw (cry of a cat) · de Miauen (cry of a cat) · pl miauczenie (cry of a cat) · sh mjauk (cry of a cat) · da mjav (cry of a cat) · ca miol (cry of a cat) · sh мјаук (cry of a cat) · ia miau (cry of a cat) · haw ʻowau (cry of a cat) · sk mňau (cry of a cat) · fi naukuna (cry of a cat) · fr miaou (cry of a cat) · vi mèo mèo (cry of a cat) · vo miov (cry of a cat) · pam miyaw (cry of a cat) · gl miau (cry of a cat) · no mjau (cry of a cat) · id meong (cry of a cat) · ga meamhlach (cry of a cat) · et näu (cry of a cat) · cmn 咪咪 (cry of a cat) · pl miauk (cry of a cat) · cmn 貓叫聲 /猫叫声 (cry of a cat) · nl gemiauw (cry of a cat) · pam ngeung (cry of a cat) · nl miauw (cry of a cat) · bg мяу (cry of a cat) · cs zamňoukání (cry of a cat) · et mjäu (cry of a cat) · eo miaŭo (cry of a cat) · is mjálm (cry of a cat) · ko 야옹 (cry of a cat) · ja にゃあ (cry of a cat) · io miaulo (cry of a cat) · ja ニャー (cry of a cat) · fr miaulement (cry of a cat) · ja にゃ (cry of a cat) · ms ngeong (cry of a cat) · de Gemaunze (cry of a cat) · da miau (cry of a cat) · de Maunzen (cry of a cat) · tr miyav (cry of a cat) · ro miorlăit (cry of a cat) · ru мяу́кание (cry of a cat) · es maullido (cry of a cat) · fi nau’unta (cry of a cat) · lt miau (cry of a cat) · sl mjavkanje (cry of a cat) · lv ņaudiens (cry of a cat) · sv mjau (cry of a cat) · sh mjaukanje (cry of a cat) · sv jamande (cry of a cat) · sh мјаукање (cry of a cat) · qu miyaw ñiy (cry of a cat) · de Miau (cry of a cat) · az miyov (cry of a cat) · fo mjarr (cry of a cat) · hy մլավոց (cry of a cat) · pl miau (cry of a cat) · hi म्याऊं म्याऊं (mephedrone) · tl ngiyaw (cry of a cat) · el νιαούρισμα (cry of a cat) · da miav (cry of a cat) · cs mňoukání (cry of a cat) · ru мя́у (cry of a cat) · ms ngiau (cry of a cat) · pt miado (cry of a cat) · ar مُوَاء (cry of a cat) · fi naukuminen (cry of a cat) · cmn 喵 (cry of a cat) · tl ingaw (cry of a cat) · ms ngiauan (cry of a cat)
Alteration of earlier mew, from Middle English mewen, mouwen (“to mew, meow”), of onomatopoeic origin.
Compare Saterland Frisian mauje, miauje (“to meow”), West Frisian miaukje (“to meow”), Dutch miauwen (“to meow”), Middle Low German mauwen, mawen, mouwen (“to meow”) (whence modern German Low German mauen, miauen (“to meow”)), Middle High German mouen, modern German miauen (“to meow”). Some spellings were modelled on French miaou.
Meow and its spelling variants entered widespread currency in the 19th century, mostly replacing mew, possibly because phonetic change meant that word had ceased to approximate a cat's cry (contrast the pronunciation of Middle English mewen /ˈmɛu̯ən/ compared to modern /ˈmjuː/).
(mephedrone): Perhaps because of the drug's distinctive smell resembling cat urine.
Meanings
(intransitive) Of a cat, to make its cry.
The cat meows at me and bird-watches by the window facing the street. Sometimes I bird-watch with him because the older I get, the more interested I get in birds lol. 2024 May 8, R29 Team, “A Week In Boston On An $81,000 Salary”, in Refinery29:
“The last thing they had seen in 2012 before that break was a short from Simon’s Cat called ‘Cat Man Do,’” said Lamothe. “When you leave 800 people in the dark, they will do something. That’s what Fantasia is. But because they had just seen that cat go meow, they meowed.” 2024 January 8, Alison Foreman, “Why Do Audiences at Fantasia Fest … Meow?”, in IndieWire:
cmn 咪咪叫 (of a cat, to make its cry) · la maumo (of a cat, to make its cry) · tk mawlamak (of a cat, to make its cry) · no mjaue (of a cat, to make its cry) · fr miauler (of a cat, to make its cry) · fo mjarra (of a cat, to make its cry) · fi naukua (of a cat, to make its cry) · ja 鳴く (of a cat, to make its cry) · ja にゃあと鳴く (of a cat, to make its cry) · ia miaular (of a cat, to make its cry) · fo mjavva (of a cat, to make its cry) · uk ня́вкнути (of a cat, to make its cry) · la felio (of a cat, to make its cry) · vec znjaołar (of a cat, to make its cry) · pl miauczeć (of a cat, to make its cry) · de maunzen (of a cat, to make its cry) · tl ngumiyaw (of a cat, to make its cry) · fo mjavma (of a cat, to make its cry) · sv jama (of a cat, to make its cry) · de mauzen (of a cat, to make its cry) · ms mengeong (of a cat, to make its cry) · ar تَمَوَّأَ (of a cat, to make its cry) · eo miaŭi (of a cat, to make its cry) · ro mieuna (of a cat, to make its cry) · cmn 貓叫 /猫叫 (of a cat, to make its cry) · be мя́ўкнуць (of a cat, to make its cry) · hu nyávog (of a cat, to make its cry) · id mengeong (of a cat, to make its cry) · ru мяу́кать (of a cat, to make its cry) · pam magmiyaw (of a cat, to make its cry) · tl umingaw (of a cat, to make its cry) · ro miorlăi (of a cat, to make its cry) · kmr miyawandin (of a cat, to make its cry) · ckb میاواندن (of a cat, to make its cry) · zza niyawayene (of a cat, to make its cry) · mn мяалах (of a cat, to make its cry) · lt miauksėti (of a cat, to make its cry) · cs mňouknout (of a cat, to make its cry) · es maullar (of a cat, to make its cry) · gl miañar (of a cat, to make its cry) · uz miyovlamoq (of a cat, to make its cry) · da mjave (of a cat, to make its cry) · de miauen (of a cat, to make its cry) · az miyoldamaq (of a cat, to make its cry) · sk mňaukať (of a cat, to make its cry) · id mengiau (of a cat, to make its cry) · sl mjavkati (of a cat, to make its cry) · es miagar (Cantabria) (of a cat, to make its cry) · et kräunuma (of a cat, to make its cry) · ca miolar (of a cat, to make its cry) · pt miar (of a cat, to make its cry) · sh mjaukati (of a cat, to make its cry) · tr miyavlamak (of a cat, to make its cry) · lv ņaudēt (of a cat, to make its cry) · el νιαουρίζω (of a cat, to make its cry) · et näuguma (of a cat, to make its cry) · uk няв (of a cat, to make its cry) · sh мјаукати (of a cat, to make its cry) · uk ня́вкати (of a cat, to make its cry) · sh mjauknuti (of a cat, to make its cry) · hy մլավել (of a cat, to make its cry) · vo miovön (of a cat, to make its cry) · az miyovuldamaq (of a cat, to make its cry) · nrf vioûler (of a cat, to make its cry) · crh miyavlamaq (of a cat, to make its cry) · pam magngeung (of a cat, to make its cry) · io miaular (of a cat, to make its cry) · cs mňoukat (of a cat, to make its cry) · is mjálma (of a cat, to make its cry) · es hacer miau (of a cat, to make its cry) · ko 야옹하다 (of a cat, to make its cry) · sh мјаукнути (of a cat, to make its cry) · nl miauwen (of a cat, to make its cry) · nrf miaûner (of a cat, to make its cry) · be мя́ўкаць (of a cat, to make its cry) · fo mjóma (of a cat, to make its cry) · kk мияулау (of a cat, to make its cry) · it miagolare (of a cat, to make its cry) · ar مَاءَ (of a cat, to make its cry) · ru мяу́кнуть (of a cat, to make its cry)