CHAPTER VI. 



ETYMOLOGY AND SYNONYMS. 



THE word " cat " comes from a root of un- 

 known origin; but undoubtedly it is 

 almost identical with the original Aryan word 

 which was used for this animal, as we find a 

 close similarity throughout all the Aryan lan- 

 guages in the euphony and terseness of the 

 word. 



English, cat. 



Grimalkinj an old cat, especially a she-cat. 

 Pussy, a pet name for the cat. (The word 

 " puss " indicates a hare, as well as a cat.) 

 Anglo-Saxon, cat. 

 Old Anglo-Saxon, catt. 

 Danish, Je.at. 

 Swedish, katt. 

 Icelandic, Mttr. 

 Irish, cat. 

 Welsh, catJi. 



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