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

Synonyms:

noun

Such a sound.

Webster's New World

Wiktionary

A noisy quarrel.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

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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