catnip
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catnip
- /ˈkætnɪp/
Where it comes from
Compound of cat + nep, nip (“catnip”), from Middle English nep, from Old English nepte, from Proto-West Germanic *nepetā, from Latin nepeta (“catnip”). Compare earlier catmint (“catnip”), from Middle English catt mynte, which very likely existed in Old English (as *cattes minte) as well.
noun catnips · cat nip · cat-nip
- Any of the about 250 species of flowering plant of the genus Nepeta, family Lamiaceae, certain of which are said to have medicinal qualities. Heavy mulching should help with winter survival of hardy, fragrant leaved perennials like lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), catnip (Nepeta mussini), sage (Salvia officinalis), mint, oregano (Origanum vulgare) and thyme (Thymus species).
- Nepeta cataria and Nepeta grandiflora (and perhaps other species), which are well-known for causing an apparently harmless pheromone-based intoxication among certain cats. Some cats go bonkers over catnip; others ignore it.
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Something that causes excitement or interest.
Near-synonym: crack
Similar: crack
Translations
Every language
noun plant of the genus Nepeta
| Español | menta de gato, nébeda, hierba gatera |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | イヌハッカ属 inuhakkazoku |
| 中文 | 貓薄荷 /猫薄荷 māobòhé |
| Português | erva-de-gato, nêbeda |
| Deutsch | Katzenminze |
| Ελληνικά | νεπέτα nepéta, καλαμίθρα kalamíthra |
| Română | iarba-mâței, cătușnică |
| Русский | коша́чья мя́та košáčʹja mjáta |
| العربية | قَطْرَمْ qaṭram |
noun specific species which causes intoxication among cats
| Español | menta de gato, menta gatuna, albahaca de gatos, gatera, gataria, nébeda |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 개박하 gaebakha |
| 日本語 | イヌハッカ inuhakka |
| 中文 | 貓薄荷 /猫薄荷 māobòhé |
| Português | erva-de-gato |
| Français | cataire, chataire, herbe à chat, herbe aux chats |
| Deutsch | Katzenminze, Echte Katzenminze |
| Italiano | erba gatta |
| Ελληνικά | γατόχορτο gatóchorto |
| Română | iarba-mâței, cătușnică |
| Русский | кото́вник коша́чий kotóvnik košáčij, коша́чья мя́та košáčʹja mjáta |
| Tiếng Việt | bạc hà mèo, cỏ mèo |
noun something that causes excitement or interest
| Deutsch | Unwiderstehlichkeit, gefundenes Fressen, Zugpferd, Objekt der Begierde, Faszination |
|---|
Talk about this word "catnip." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/catnip. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. catnip. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/catnip "catnip." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/catnip.Cite this
@misc{catnip_2026,
title = {catnip},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/catnip},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
