intj · noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American, Received-Pronunciation:/miˈaʊ/
General-American, Received-Pronunciation:[mjaʊ̯]
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mew, miaow, nya, nyaa, nyan, nyao
Antonyms: none provided
2
intj
Meaning 2
Used in reply to a spiteful or catty comment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: handbags
Antonyms: none provided
3
intj
Meaning 3
Used to express seductiveness, mimicking a growl.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The cry of a cat.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The drug mephedrone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, slang, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: drone, meow meow
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
Of a cat, to make its cry.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mew, miaow
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
the sound made by a cat (or any sound resembling this)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mew, miaou, miaow, miaul
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cry
8
verb
Meaning 8
cry like a cat
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the cat meowed
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mew
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: utter, emit, let out, let loose
History
Etymology
Alteration of earlier mew, from Middle English mewen, mouwen (“to mew, meow”), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Saterland Frisian mauje, miauje (“to meow”), West Frisian miaukje (“to meow”), Dutch miauwen (“to meow”), Middle Low German mauwen, mawen, mouwen (“to meow”) (whence modern German Low German mauen, miauen (“to meow”)), Middle High German mouen, modern German miauen (“to meow”). Some spellings were modelled on French miaou. Meow and its spelling variants entered widespread currency in the 19th century, mostly replacing mew, possibly because phonetic change meant that word had ceased to approximate a cat's cry (contrast the pronunciation of Middle English mewen /ˈmɛu̯ən/ compared to modern /ˈmjuː/). (mephedrone): Perhaps because of the drug's distinctive smell resembling cat urine.
Across languages
Translations
228 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
mjáu
— cry of a cat
Arabic:
مُوَاء
(muwāʔ)
— cry of a cat
Azerbaijani:
miyov
— cry of a cat
Bashkir:
мыяу
(mıyaw)
— cry of a cat
Belarusian:
мяў
(mjaw)
— cry of a cat
Belarusian:
мяу
(mjau)
— cry of a cat
Bengali:
ম্যাঁ
(mễ)
— cry of a cat
Bengali:
ম্যাঁও
(mễō)
— cry of a cat
Central Bikol:
ngiyaw
— cry of a cat
Bulgarian:
мя́у
(mjáu)
— cry of a cat
Catalan:
meu
— cry of a cat
Chinese Cantonese:
喵
(miu1)
— cry of a cat
Chinese Mandarin:
喵
(miāo)
— cry of a cat
Chinese Mandarin:
咪咪
(mīmī)
— cry of a cat
Czech:
mňau
— cry of a cat
Danish:
mjav
— cry of a cat
Danish:
miav
— cry of a cat
Dutch:
miauw
— cry of a cat
Dzongkha:
སྨེ
(sme)
— cry of a cat
Esperanto:
miaŭ
— cry of a cat
Estonian:
mäu
— cry of a cat
Estonian:
näu
— cry of a cat
Estonian:
mjäu
— cry of a cat
Estonian:
njäu
— cry of a cat
Faroese:
mjarr
— cry of a cat
Faroese:
mjavv
— cry of a cat
Finnish:
miau
— cry of a cat
Finnish:
mau
— cry of a cat
French:
miaou
— cry of a cat
Galician:
miau
— cry of a cat
German:
miau
— cry of a cat
German:
maunz
— cry of a cat
Greek:
νιάου
(niáou)
— cry of a cat
Hawaiian:
ʻoau
— cry of a cat
Hawaiian:
ʻowau
— cry of a cat
Hebrew:
מיאו
— cry of a cat
Hindi:
म्याऊँ
(myāū̃)
— cry of a cat
Hungarian:
miau
— cry of a cat
Icelandic:
mjá
— cry of a cat
Indonesian:
meong
— cry of a cat
Interlingua:
miau
— cry of a cat
Irish:
míáú
— cry of a cat
Italian:
miao
— cry of a cat
Japanese:
にゃあ
(nyā)
— cry of a cat
Japanese:
にゃん
(nyan)
— cry of a cat
Jarai:
meo
— cry of a cat
Kabyle:
mεiw
— cry of a cat
Kannada:
ಮಿಯಾವ್
(miyāv)
— cry of a cat
Kazakh:
мияу
(miäu)
— cry of a cat
Khmer:
ង៉ាវៗ
(ŋaav-ŋaav)
— cry of a cat
Korean:
야옹
(yaong)
— cry of a cat
Central Kurdish:
میاو
(myaw)
— cry of a cat
Northern Kurdish:
miyaw
— cry of a cat
Lao:
ເຫມີວຍາ
(miao)
— cry of a cat
Latgalian:
ņau
— cry of a cat
Latin:
miau
— cry of a cat
Latvian:
ņau
— cry of a cat
Latvian:
mjau
— cry of a cat
Lithuanian:
miau
— cry of a cat
Luxembourgish:
miau
— cry of a cat
Malay:
ngeong
— cry of a cat
Malay:
miau
— cry of a cat
Malay:
ngiau
— cry of a cat
Mongolian:
мяу
(mjau)
— cry of a cat
Nepali:
म्याउ
(myāu)
— cry of a cat
Norwegian:
mjau
— cry of a cat
Persian:
میو
(miyu)
— cry of a cat
Polish:
miau
— cry of a cat
Portuguese:
miau
— cry of a cat
Romanian:
miau
— cry of a cat
Romanian:
miorlau
— cry of a cat
Russian:
мя́у
(mjáu)
— cry of a cat
Scottish Gaelic:
miamha
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
мјау
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
мњау
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
mjau
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
mnjau
— cry of a cat
Slovak:
mňau
— cry of a cat
Slovene:
mjav
— cry of a cat
Spanish:
miau
— cry of a cat
Spanish:
ñau
— cry of a cat
Spanish:
ñew
— cry of a cat
Swedish:
mjau
— cry of a cat
Tagalog:
ingaw
— cry of a cat
Tagalog:
ngiyaw
— cry of a cat
Tamil:
மியாவ்
(miyāv)
— cry of a cat
Telugu:
మ్యావ్
(myāv)
— cry of a cat
Thai:
เหมียว
(mǐao)
— cry of a cat
Northern Thai:
ᩉ᩠ᨾᩢ᩠ᨿ᩠ᩅ
— cry of a cat
Turkish:
miyav
— cry of a cat
Turkmen:
maw
— cry of a cat
Ukrainian:
няв
(njav)
— cry of a cat
Vietnamese:
ngoao
— cry of a cat
Vietnamese:
ngao
— cry of a cat
Vietnamese:
meo
— cry of a cat
Vietnamese:
méo
— cry of a cat
Volapük:
miov
— cry of a cat
Yiddish:
מיאַו
(myau)
— cry of a cat
Zazaki:
niyaw
— cry of a cat
Armenian:
մլավոց
(mlavocʻ)
— cry of a cat
Bulgarian:
мяу
(mjau)
— cry of a cat
Catalan:
miol
— cry of a cat
Chinese Cantonese:
喵
(meu1)
— cry of a cat
Chinese Mandarin:
貓叫聲 /猫叫声
(māojiàoshēng)
— cry of a cat
Czech:
mňoukání
— cry of a cat
Czech:
zamňoukání
— cry of a cat
Danish:
miau
— cry of a cat
Dutch:
gemiauw
— cry of a cat
Esperanto:
miaŭo
— cry of a cat
Finnish:
nau’unta
— cry of a cat
Finnish:
naukuminen
— cry of a cat
Finnish:
naukuna
— cry of a cat
French:
miaou
— cry of a cat
French:
miaulement
— cry of a cat
French:
nyaw
— cry of a cat
German:
Miau
— cry of a cat
German:
Miauen
— cry of a cat
German:
Maunzen
— cry of a cat
German:
Gemaunze
— cry of a cat
Greek:
νιαούρισμα
(niaoúrisma)
— cry of a cat
Icelandic:
mjálm
— cry of a cat
Ido:
miaulo
— cry of a cat
Irish:
meamhlach
— cry of a cat
Japanese:
にゃ
(nya)
— cry of a cat
Japanese:
ニャー
(nyā)
— cry of a cat
Kapampangan:
miyaw
— cry of a cat
Kapampangan:
ngeung
— cry of a cat
Latvian:
ņaudiens
— cry of a cat
Malay:
ngiauan
— cry of a cat
Polish:
miauczenie
— cry of a cat
Polish:
miauk
— cry of a cat
Portuguese:
miado
— cry of a cat
Quechua:
miyaw ñiy
— cry of a cat
Romanian:
mieunat
— cry of a cat
Romanian:
miorlăit
— cry of a cat
Russian:
мяу́кание
(mjaúkanije)
— cry of a cat
Russian:
мя́у
(mjáu)
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
мјаукање
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
мјаук
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
mjaukanje
— cry of a cat
Serbo-Croatian:
mjauk
— cry of a cat
Slovene:
mjavkanje
— cry of a cat
Spanish:
maullido
— cry of a cat
Swedish:
mjau
— cry of a cat
Swedish:
jamande
— cry of a cat
Vietnamese:
meo meo
— cry of a cat
Vietnamese:
mèo mèo
— cry of a cat
Hindi:
म्याऊं म्याऊं
(myāū̃ myāū̃)
— mephedrone
Arabic:
مَاءَ
(māʔa)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Arabic:
تَمَوَّأَ
(tamawwaʔa)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Armenian:
մլավել
(mlavel)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Azerbaijani:
miyovuldamaq
— of a cat, to make its cry
Azerbaijani:
miyoldamaq
— of a cat, to make its cry
Belarusian:
мя́ўкаць
(mjáwkacʹ)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Belarusian:
мя́ўкнуць
(mjáwknucʹ)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Catalan:
miolar
— of a cat, to make its cry
Chinese Mandarin:
貓叫 /猫叫
(māojiào)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Chinese Mandarin:
咪咪叫
(mīmī jiào)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Crimean Tatar:
miyavlamaq
— of a cat, to make its cry
Czech:
mňoukat
— of a cat, to make its cry
Czech:
mňouknout
— of a cat, to make its cry
Danish:
mjave
— of a cat, to make its cry
Dutch:
miauwen
— of a cat, to make its cry
Esperanto:
miaŭi
— of a cat, to make its cry
Estonian:
näuguma
— of a cat, to make its cry
Estonian:
kräunuma
— of a cat, to make its cry
Faroese:
mjarra
— of a cat, to make its cry
Faroese:
mjavma
— of a cat, to make its cry
Faroese:
mjavva
— of a cat, to make its cry
Faroese:
mjóma
— of a cat, to make its cry
Finnish:
naukua
— of a cat, to make its cry
French:
miauler
— of a cat, to make its cry
Galician:
miañar
— of a cat, to make its cry
German:
miauen
— of a cat, to make its cry
German:
maunzen
— of a cat, to make its cry
German:
mauzen
— of a cat, to make its cry
Greek:
νιαουρίζω
(niaourízo)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Hungarian:
nyávog
— of a cat, to make its cry
Icelandic:
mjálma
— of a cat, to make its cry
Ido:
miaular
— of a cat, to make its cry
Indonesian:
mengeong
— of a cat, to make its cry
Indonesian:
mengiau
— of a cat, to make its cry
Interlingua:
miaular
— of a cat, to make its cry
Italian:
miagolare
— of a cat, to make its cry
Japanese:
にゃあと鳴く
(nyā to naku)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Japanese:
鳴く
(naku)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Kapampangan:
magmiyaw
— of a cat, to make its cry
Kapampangan:
magngeung
— of a cat, to make its cry
Kazakh:
мияулау
(miäulau)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Korean:
야옹하다
(yaonghada)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Central Kurdish:
میاواندن
(myawandin)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Northern Kurdish:
miyawandin
— of a cat, to make its cry
Latin:
felio
— of a cat, to make its cry
Latin:
maumo
— of a cat, to make its cry
Latvian:
ņaudēt
— of a cat, to make its cry
Lithuanian:
miauksėti
— of a cat, to make its cry
Malay:
mengeong
— of a cat, to make its cry
Mongolian:
мяалах
(mjaalax)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Norman:
miaûner
— of a cat, to make its cry
Norman:
vioûler
— of a cat, to make its cry
Norwegian:
mjaue
— of a cat, to make its cry
Polish:
miauczeć
— of a cat, to make its cry
Portuguese:
miar
— of a cat, to make its cry
Romanian:
mieuna
— of a cat, to make its cry
Romanian:
miorlăi
— of a cat, to make its cry
Russian:
мяу́кать
(mjaúkatʹ)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Russian:
мяу́кнуть
(mjaúknutʹ)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Serbo-Croatian:
мјаукати
— of a cat, to make its cry
Serbo-Croatian:
мјаукнути
— of a cat, to make its cry
Serbo-Croatian:
mjaukati
— of a cat, to make its cry
Serbo-Croatian:
mjauknuti
— of a cat, to make its cry
Slovak:
mňaukať
— of a cat, to make its cry
Slovene:
mjavkati
— of a cat, to make its cry
Spanish:
maullar
— of a cat, to make its cry
Spanish:
hacer miau
— of a cat, to make its cry
Spanish:
miagar (Cantabria)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Swedish:
jama
— of a cat, to make its cry
Tagalog:
umingaw
— of a cat, to make its cry
Tagalog:
ngumiyaw
— of a cat, to make its cry
Turkish:
miyavlamak
— of a cat, to make its cry
Turkmen:
mawlamak
— of a cat, to make its cry
Ukrainian:
няв
(njav)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Ukrainian:
ня́вкати
(njávkaty)
— of a cat, to make its cry
Ukrainian:
ня́вкнути
(njávknuty)
— of a cat, to make its cry