catawampus

1 of 2

noun

cat·​a·​wam·​pus

plural -es

dialectal

: an imaginary fierce wild animal : bogey

catawampus

2 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly catawampous

¦⸗⸗¦⸗pəs

1

dialectal : fierce, savage, destructive

2

dialectal : askew, awry, cater-cornered

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably alteration of catamount

Adjective

probably by folk etymology from catercorner

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!