51Թ

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View synonyms for

tabby

1

[ tab-ee ]

noun

plural tabbies.
  1. a cat with a striped or brindled coat.
  2. a domestic cat, especially a female one.
  3. a spinster.
  4. a spiteful female gossip or tattler.
  5. a watered silk fabric, or any other watered material, as moreen.


adjective

  1. striped or brindled.
  2. made of or resembling tabby.

verb (used with object)

tabbied, tabbying.
  1. to give a wavy or watered appearance to, as silk.

tabby

2

[ tab-ee ]

noun

  1. (in the southeastern United States) a building material composed of ground oyster shells, lime, and sand, mixed with salt water.

tabby

1

/ ˈæɪ /

noun

  1. a fabric with a watered pattern, esp silk or taffeta
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tabby

2

/ ˈæɪ /

adjective

  1. (esp of cats) brindled with dark stripes or wavy markings on a lighter background
  2. having a wavy or striped pattern, particularly in colours of grey and brown
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a tabby cat
  2. any female domestic cat
  3. informal.
    a gossiping old woman
  4. slang.
    any girl or woman
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of tabby1

First recorded in 1630–40; back formation from French tabis (taken as plural), Middle French (a)tabis “silk cloth,” from Medieval Latin ٳ, from Arabic ʿٳī, derivative of (al) ʿAttābīyah, quarter of Baghdad where the silk was first made, literally, “the quarter of (Prince) ʿAttāb”

Origin of tabby2

An Americanism dating back to 1765–75; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Gullah tabi, from a West African language
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of tabby1

C17: from Old French tabis silk cloth, from Arabic al-`attabiya, literally: the quarter of (Prince) `Attab, the part of Baghdad where the fabric was first made

Origin of tabby2

C17: from Tabby , pet form of the girl's name Tabitha , probably influenced by tabby 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In another room, a 14-year-old tabby cat named Milo, dropped off by his owner on Jan. 7, poked his paw through his crate, wanting pets from Gaby Solingen, a volunteer.

From

Her mother filled out the Virginia shelter's online application for a supposedly bonded pair: a 1 1/2-year-old gray tabby and 2 1/2-year-old calico.

From

Outside, a bowl of milk sat in the center of the market square, attracting a thirsty tabby.

From

I foster cats and I’m actually fostering two sister tabbies right now — Lucy and Ethel — and the CatCafe Lounge has taken probably 12 of the cats I’ve fostered and gotten them adopted.

From

It’s not the first time California residents have mistaken a tame tabby for a ferocious wildcat.

From

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