Caterwaul

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈkætərˌwɔl/

Definitions of caterwaul

noun a shrill, discordant sound or noise

Example Sentences

A1 The caterwaul of the stray cat kept me up all night.

A2 The caterwaul of the baby woke up the entire household.

B1 The caterwaul of the protesters could be heard from blocks away.

B2 The caterwaul of the opera singer echoed through the theater.

C1 The caterwaul of the political opponents filled the air during the debate.

C2 The caterwaul of the wolves in the distance sent shivers down my spine.

verb to make a shrill, discordant sound

Example Sentences

A1 The cat caterwauls when it's hungry.

A2 The children caterwaul in the playground during recess.

B1 The protesters caterwaul outside the government building.

B2 The opera singer caterwauls beautifully on stage.

C1 The wolves caterwaul in the distance, creating an eerie atmosphere.

C2 The howling wind caterwauls through the empty streets, sending shivers down my spine.

Examples of caterwaul in a Sentence

formal The opera singer's powerful voice filled the hall with a beautiful caterwaul.

informal The stray cats in the alley began to caterwaul loudly in the middle of the night.

slang I can't stand the caterwauling coming from my neighbor's house party.

figurative The politician's speech was nothing more than a caterwaul of empty promises.

Grammatical Forms of caterwaul

past tense

caterwauled

plural

caterwauls

comparative

more caterwauling

superlative

most caterwauling

present tense

caterwaul

future tense

will caterwaul

perfect tense

have caterwauled

continuous tense

is caterwauling

singular

caterwaul

positive degree

caterwaul

infinitive

to caterwaul

gerund

caterwauling

participle

caterwauling

Origin and Evolution of caterwaul

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'caterwaul' originated from Middle English, derived from the Old French word 'caterwauler' which means to cry like a cat.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe the yowling or screeching sound made by cats during mating season, 'caterwaul' has evolved to also describe loud, harsh, or discordant noises made by humans or animals in a vocal way.