catamount

noun

cat·​a·​mount ˈka-tə-ˌmau̇nt How to pronounce catamount (audio)
: any of various wild cats: such as

Examples of catamount in a Sentence

found the footprints of a catamount on the mountain trail
Recent Examples on the Web Throughout the story, beetles tunnel through the woodwork; blight fells the trees; a catamount, referenced in rumor or song, stalks the patch. Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023 What is a catamount? R.j. Coyle, Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2021 The last catamount in Vermont was shot and killed in 1881, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2023 Called by many names — puma, panther, cougar, mountain lion, catamount — Puma concolor has earned the enmity of ranchers and farmers, who hunted the cats for centuries. Andrew Curry, Discover Magazine, 26 Aug. 2015 Cougars, also called mountain lions, pumas and catamounts, were native to Wisconsin but were extirpated through unregulated hunting in the 1800s. Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2018 The Eastern cougar is also known as the ghost cat, catamount, puma, painter, panther, and mountain lion. Mari A. Schaefer, Philly.com, 25 Jan. 2018 Each of the handful of catamounts analyzed in Wisconsin over the last decade has been male. Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2017 In January, the Missouri Department of Conservation confirmed the presence of a female catamount in Shannon County, in the south-central part of the state. Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catamount.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

short for cat-a-mountain

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of catamount was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near catamount

Cite this Entry

“Catamount.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catamount. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

catamount

noun
cat·​a·​mount ˈkat-ə-ˌmau̇nt How to pronounce catamount (audio)
: any of various wild cats: as
a
: cougar
b
: lynx

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