alley cat

noun

: a stray cat

Examples of alley cat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The week’s biggest stories Presidential debate Biden’s verbal stumbles, Trump’s ‘morals of an alley cat’: 6 debate takeaways. Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2024 Like Selina Kyle being nibbled into Catwoman by her alley cats, Doug’s origin story involves a nurturing puppy pile and a preternatural ability to communicate with the army of mutts who, hilariously, do his bidding like henchmen in a gangster movie. Jen Yamato, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024 The cats have to find their way back home to Paris with the help of a musically-inclined alley cat. Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2023 There is a genuine pathos in the vision of a man who has achieved power but remains unreconciled to himself, who soothes his way past his own rages and agonies by listening to the song of a homeless alley cat. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2021 And that is how four women ended up caring for a colony of about 30 alley cats. Allison Klein, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2018 Since people are more motivated to care for alley cats that catch rats, the group has embraced the idea as a win-win. National Geographic, 29 Sep. 2017 In Miami, Elizabeth Chifari, 66, was determined to stay home with her white alley cat, Friday, and ride out the storm. Frances Robles, Kirk Semple and Vivian Yee, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2017 House cats make great companions who provide cuddles and keep mice and bugs at bay, but their alley cat counterparts are a different story. Danny Lewis, Smithsonian, 4 Jan. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alley cat was in 1886

Dictionary Entries Near alley cat

Cite this Entry

“Alley cat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alley%20cat. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

alley cat

noun
: a stray cat
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