kitty
UK[ˈkɪti]US[ˈkɪti]
n
A child's word for a cat or kitten.
n
The pool of money to be won in a card game, or collected for a shared purpose.
Etymology
The word "kitty" emerged in the 18th century as a familiar or childish name for a cat. It originates from the pet name "Kit," itself a diminutive of the given names Katherine or Christopher, which were sometimes applied to household animals. The transition from a human nickname to a generic term for a feline exemplifies a common pattern in language where personal names are adopted for common nouns. The secondary meaning, referring to a pool of money, likely derives from the image of a communal pot, with "kitty" serving as a personification or container for the collective stakes.
Analysis
The word "kitty" is a diminutive form derived from the name "Kit," a pet form of "Katherine" or "Christopher," which was historically used as a name for cats. Its origin is English, functioning as a hypocorism (a pet name).
Examples
The little girl asked if she could pet the fluffy white kitty.
Each player contributes a dollar to the kitty at the start of the poker game.
We all put money into the office kitty to buy a farewell gift for our manager.