Meowed Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Animal Behavior

• Cats use meowing primarily to communicate with humans, especially since adults usually don’t meow at each other.
• Kittens meow to their mothers to get attention, but adult cats often use this sound specifically to interact with people.
• Different types of meows can communicate different messages, such as greeting, annoyance, or hunger, showing their complexity in expression.

Pop Culture

• 'Meow' became popular in various forms of media, including movies and songs, often associated with cats' playful nature.
• In animated films, cats are often portrayed with exaggerated meows to add humor and personality – think of characters like Puss in Boots!
• Social media has popularized memes and videos featuring meowing cats, leading to the creation of numerous viral sensations.

Literature

• In Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland', the Cheshire Cat famously disappears while leaving behind its grin, often leading to fun interpretations of its 'meow'.
• Famous poets and writers, like T.S. Eliot in 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats', have used meowing in whimsical ways to characterize their feline subjects.
• Children's books often portray cats with distinct personalities, and meowing is a central theme to convey their thoughts and antics.

Psychology

• Studies show that the pitch and frequency of a cat's meow can influence human emotions, often triggering feelings of affection.
• Research indicates that cat owners can distinguish their cats' different meows and often respond according to the type of sound made.
• The act of a cat meowing can also strengthen the human-animal bond, as it encourages interaction and responsiveness from pet owners.

Main points about word origin

• The word 'meow' is imitative, meaning it sounds like what it describes, similar to how we say 'buzz' for a bee.
• The first known use of 'meow' in English dates back to the 14th century, showing that we've recognized cat sounds for a long time.
• Its origins can be traced to various cultures, where similar terms are used to represent cat sounds, showcasing universal communication with pets.

The word 'meow' originates from the late 16th century, likely imitating the distinctive sound of a cat. It is thought to have derived from a combination of various languages' representations of a cat's voice. The onomatopoeic nature captures the essence of feline communication, and its usage has evolved alongside the domestication of cats. Over centuries, the term has become universally recognized in various cultures to describe this specific vocalization of cats. The transition from 'meow' to 'meowed' reflects typical English verb conjugation patterns, indicating an action completed in the past. In literature and pop culture, 'meow' and its variations have often been used to evoke cat-like behavior or personality, further cementing its place in the English lexicon.

Ranking #38,090, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.

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• 38087 interning
• 38088 befouled
• 38089 muesli
• 38090 meowed
• 38091 saxifrage
• 38092 illogicality
• 38093 misapprehend
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