meow
UK[miˈaʊ]US[miˈaʊ]
n
The characteristic crying sound made by a cat.
v
To make the characteristic crying sound of a cat.
Etymology
The word 'meow' is a classic example of onomatopoeia, where the phonetic form of a word is directly imitative of the natural sound it represents. It emerged in English in the early 17th century, with variant spellings like 'miaow' and 'meaw', all attempting to capture the feline vocalization. This process of sound symbolism is common across languages, with similar words existing in other European tongues, such as French 'miaou' and German 'miau'. The word's logic is purely auditory and imitative, with its meaning being transparently and directly derived from the sound itself.
Analysis
This is an onomatopoeic simplex word. It is an imitation of the natural vocalization of a domestic cat.
Examples
The kitten let out a soft, plaintive meow.
I could hear a cat meowing outside my window all night.
In many cartoons, a cat's meow is used for comedic effect.