Catawampus Definition

katəwämpəs
adjective
Askew; awry.
Webster's New World
Wiktionary
Wiktionary
noun

(US) A fierce imaginary animal, a bogeyman.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Catawampus

Noun

Singular:
catawampus
Plural:
catawampuses

Origin of Catawampus

  • The crooked sense may at least partly derive from the same source as the "cater" in cater-corner, which some would derive from Middle French catre (“four”)- in reference to four corners/square- from Old French quatre (“four”), from Latin quattuor. This is disputed by others, who suggest a possible Old Norse or other Scandinavian origin. See cater-corner and cater-corner for more.

    From Wiktionary

  • In the fierce sense probably from catamount (mountain cat).

    From Wiktionary

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