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grimalkin

[ gri-mal-kin, -mawl- ]

/ grɪˈmæl kɪn, -ˈmɔl- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR grimalkin ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a cat.

an old female cat.

an ill-tempered old woman.

Origin of grimalkin

1595–1605; apparently alteration of gray¹ + malkin, diminutive of Maud proper name; see -kin

Words nearby grimalkin

grim reaper, grimace, grimaldi, grimaldi man, grimaldian, grimalkin, grime, grimes golden, grimes graves, grimhild, grimké

Example sentences from the Web for grimalkin

Thus might have mused Grimalkin of Knockdane, who was king there no more.

Lives of the Fur Folk |M. D. Haviland
Once for three days she stayed at home; but on the third evening she looked down the field, and saw Grimalkin waiting.

Lives of the Fur Folk |M. D. Haviland
Grimalkin yelled and leaped back as a hot red curtain fell before his sight.

Lives of the Fur Folk |M. D. Haviland
Like all his race, Grimalkin hated the wet, and he shook his head impatiently as the water trickled inside his ears.

Lives of the Fur Folk |M. D. Haviland

The owner decided to have the grimalkin respectably buried in her garden, and a man named Willan dug a grave for it.

Bygone Cumberland and Westmorland |Daniel Scott

British Dictionary definitions for grimalkin

grimalkin

/ (ɡrɪˈmælkɪn, -ˈmɔːl-) /

noun

an old cat, esp an old female cat

a crotchety or shrewish old woman

Word Origin for grimalkin

C17: from grey + malkin