Caterwaul Definition
kătər-wôl
caterwauling, caterwauls
verb
caterwauling, caterwauls
To make a shrill, howling sound like that of a cat at rutting time; screech; wail.
Webster's New World
To make a shrill, discordant sound.
American Heritage
To have a noisy argument.
American Heritage
noun
Such a sound.
Webster's New World
A yowling.
Wiktionary
A noisy quarrel.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
- skreigh
- skirl
Origin of Caterwaul
Middle English caterwawlen cater tomcat Low German kater wawlen, wrawlen to yowl (ultimately of imitative origin)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From Middle English caterwrawe (one of numerous earlier variants); from cater (“cat”) + wrawen/wrawlen (“cry like a cat”).
From Wiktionary
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