kitty

kitty

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Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling and word details for kitty are as follows:

IPA Phonetic Spelling

The IPA transcription for a common pronunciation of the word 'kitty' (General American) is:

/ˈkɪt̬i/ or /ˈkɪdi/

• Note: In American English, the sound for the letter 't' between vowels in an unstressed syllable often becomes an alveolar flap (or tap), transcribed as t̬ or d in broad transcription, making it sound very similar to the 'dd' in "ladder." The British English transcription is typically kɪti.

Sound Breakdown by Syllable

• Syllable 1:
  kɪt
  (orkɪd)

• k
  : Voiceless velar stop (as in "cat")

• ɪ
  : Near-close near-front vowel (as in "in")

• t̬ord
  : Alveolar flap (a quick 't' or 'd' sound, as in "ladder")

• Syllable 2:
  i

• i
  : Close front unrounded vowel (as in "happy")

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Word Form Variations

The term kitty is primarily a noun and its variations are:

• Singular: kitty

• Plural: kitties

• Alternative Forms: kittie (less common)

• Derived Forms (Nouns):

• kitty-cat (a cat)

• kitty litter (material used in a litter box)

• dust kitty (a dust bunny)

• kitty-corner / kitty-cornered (adjective/adverb, meaning diagonal)

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

Definition 1: Pet/Animal A diminutive or affectionate term for a domestic cat, especially a young one.

• Synonyms: kitten, cat, puss, pussycat

• Antonyms: (None directly applicable, as this is a name/term for an animal)

Definition 2: Collective Fund (Money) A pooled sum of money contributed by a group of people for a common, agreed-upon purpose, such as shared expenses, a collective gift, or an emergency reserve.

• Synonyms: fund, pool, collection, pot, reserve, purse

• Antonyms: individual funds, personal savings, debt

Definition 3: Gambling/Game Pot (Money) The accumulated total of money, chips, or stakes that have been bet in a card game or other form of gambling, which is awarded to the winner or winners.

• Synonyms: pot, jackpot, stakes, winnings (when won), bank

• Antonyms: (None directly applicable)

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Examples of Use

1. Referring to a Cat or Kitten (Noun)

This use is common in everyday speech, literature, and media, often with an affectionate or diminutive connotation.

• Book/Literature:

• "The two women were at this moment sitting side by side, and the kitty was in the lap of the one who was holding the baby, and was being stroked by the other." (E.F. Benson, Lucia's Progress, 1935)

• Film/Entertainment:

• In the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, the main character refers to her pet cat simply as "Cat," but the word "kitty" is often used in dialogue and casual references to cats in films and television shows, such as a child exclaiming, "Look at that cute little kitty!" (General public discourse represented in media).

• General Discourse/Online Publication:

• A viral social media post on Instagram featuring a cat rescue stated: "We found this tiny stray kitty hiding under a car, and she's now safe and sound at the shelter! Please share to help her find a forever home." (September 2023)

2. Referring to a Collective Fund (Noun)

This sense of the word is typically used in journalism, business, sports, and discussions about finance or group events.

• Newspaper/Journalism (General Fund):

• "The treasurer announced that an extra $5,000 had been added to the club's social kitty, which will be used to pay for the annual holiday party." (The Guardian, July 2024)

• Sports/Gambling Publication (Prize Pot):

• "With the final table set, the total prize kitty for the World Series of Poker main event has officially surpassed $90 million." (Online Poker News Site, October 2024)

• General Discourse/Business:

• "We all agreed to chip in $20 each to create an office kitty for coffee and snacks for the week." (Workplace conversation)

3. As Part of an Adjective or Adverb

When hyphenated, it describes a diagonal position, often associated with the phrase kitty-corner (also catty-corner or caddy-corner).

• General Discourse/Real Estate:

• "The new restaurant is located kitty-corner from the main library, so it's easy to find." (Local advertisement, November 2023)

• Online Publication:

• "Our house is kitty-cornered to the park, giving us a great view of the playground." (Forum discussion on home location, February 2024)

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10 Famous Quotes Using Kitty

1. "The interesting thing about being a mother is that everyone wants pets, but no one but me cleans the kitty litter." (Meryl Streep)

2. "Kitty Wells was the first and only Queen of Country Music, no matter what they call the rest of us." (Dolly Parton)

3. "I decorated my house like a medieval gothic castle, European-style; my bathroom is totally Hello Kitty." (Avril Lavigne)

4. "Hello Kitty will never speak." (Pico Iyer)

5. "Enough of these little kitty cats we keep sending to Washington." (Ted Cruz)

6. "In the brief span of thirty-odd years, the world has seen an inventor's dream first materialized by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk become an everyday actuality." (Amelia Earhart)

7. "By the Widow, or as it is more commonly known as 'Kitty,' is meant a percentage, taken in chips at certain occasions during the game of Poker." (J. W. Keller, Game of Draw Poker, 1887)

8. "Who hasn't 'dipped into the kitty' a couple times?" (Lindsay Bluth Fünke, Arrested Development)

9. "He thought of her with the same feeling of tender ecstasy and terror which he had felt at first; there was no change in his feeling for Kitty." (Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina)

10. "I guess remind everybody this is me, that I'm the one active on my account, of course." (Roaring Kitty, June 2024)

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Etymology

The word kitty actually has two main origins, both leading to two very different meanings we use today.

1. Meaning "A Cat or Kitten" (First use: Early 18th Century)

• Origin: This meaning is a shortened, affectionate form of the word kitten.

• The Process: Think of it like a nickname. People took "kitten" and added the common diminutive ending
  -y
  (or-ie) to make it sound small and sweet. This usage first appeared in writing around the early 1700s.

• A Second Influence (Less Direct): The term was likely also influenced by the proper name Kitty, which is an old pet form or nickname for the name Catherine or Katherine.

2. Meaning "A Pooled Fund of Money" (First use: Late 19th Century)

• Origin: This meaning has nothing to do with cats and is believed to come from an older word that meant "container" or "box."

• Possible Source 1 (The Box): A leading theory suggests it comes from the Dutch word kitte or a similar German word Kiste, both meaning a "chest," "box," or "container." The money or stakes were put into the box, which became known as the kitty.

• Possible Source 2 (Gambling/Slang): It's also linked to an old English dialect word for a "jail" or "lock-up," which might have been a metaphor for money that was locked away or pooled for a specific purpose (like covering expenses or paying fines in a game).

• The First Use: This sense of the word, specifically referring to a pool of money in card games (like poker), first appeared in American English around the late 1880s.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Kitty

Phrases and Idioms with "Kitty"

1. Dust kitty: An informal term for a dust bunny or a clump of dust, hair, and lint found on the floor.

2. Kitty-corner (or kitty-cornered): Located diagonally opposite across a street or intersection. (e.g., "The coffee shop is kitty-corner from the library.")

3. In the kitty: Referring to money, meaning that funds are available or collected in the communal pool. (e.g., "We still have $50 in the kitty for refreshments.")

4. Dipping into the kitty: To secretly or prematurely take money from a communal fund, often for personal use.

5. Kitty party: A social gathering, popular in parts of South Asia, typically involving women contributing money to a collective fund (the "kitty") which is then awarded to one member each month through a lottery system.

6. Hello Kitty: The globally famous fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio.

Related Idioms (Using Synonyms for Similar Effect)

1. Pot luck: The 'pot' here is a synonym for the money 'kitty' in gambling; this refers to the risk involved in a game, but the modern idiom means a meal where guests bring a dish to share.

2. Sweeten the pot: To increase the money or stakes in a game to encourage more participation or betting (the 'pot' is a synonym for the game's 'kitty').

3. The cat's meow/pajamas: A popular idiom used to describe something excellent, wonderful, or the very best—an extension of a positive association with a pet (kitty).

4. Let the cat out of the bag: To accidentally reveal a secret (The 'cat' here is a related animal to a kitty).

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of kitty from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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