feline

the word 'feline' entered english in the late 17th century, directly from the latin adjective 'felinus', which means 'of or pertaining to a cat'. this latin term is derived from 'felis', the latin word for 'cat' or 'weasel', a root whose deeper origins are uncertain but may be connected to a proto-indo-european root for 'to shine', perhaps alluding to the gleaming eyes of these creatures in the dark. the suffix '-ine', borrowed from latin '-inus', is a common adjectival ending in english used to denote characteristics or relations, as seen in 'canine' or 'bovine'. thus, the literal construction 'cat-like' perfectly captures the modern meaning of relating to or resembling members of the cat family.

Structure: fel (cat) + ine (relating to) fel (latin: 'felis', meaning 'cat'); ine (latin adjectival suffix '-inus', meaning 'of or pertaining to')