Cater-cousin, kā′tėr-kuz′n, n. a term implying familiarity, affection, sympathy, rather than kindred. [More prob. conn. with Cater than quatre or quarter.]
Caterpillar, kat′ėr-pil-ar, n. a grub that lives upon the leaves of plants. [Prob. O. Fr. chatepeleuse, 'hairy cat;' chate, a she-cat—L. catus, peleuse, hairy—L. pilosus, pilum.]
Caterwaul, kat′ėr-wawl, n. the shriek or cry emitted by the cat when in heat.—v.i. to make such a noise, to make any discordant sound: to behave lasciviously: to quarrel like cats.—n. Cat′erwauling. [The second part is prob. imit.]
Cates, kātz, n.pl. dainty food.
Catgut. See Cat.
Catharist, kath′ar-ist, n. one professing a higher standard of purity in life and doctrine, a puritan: esp. a member of a Manichean heretical sect of the Middle Ages, which spread over the whole of southern and western Europe—confounded with the kindred sect of Paulicians, reaching the greatest numbers in southern France, where, as the Albigenses, they were ruthlessly stamped out by the Inquisition.—n. Cath′arism. [Gr. katharistai, katharizein, to purify.]
Cathartic, -al, kath-ärt′ik, -al, adj. having the power of cleansing the stomach and bowels: purgative.—v.t. Cath′arise, to render absolutely clean.—ns. Cathar′sis, evacuation of the bowels; Cathart′ic, a purgative medicine; Cathar′tin, the purgative principle of senna. [Gr. kathartikos, fit for cleansing, katharos, clean.]
Cathead. See Cat.
Cathedral, kath-ēd′ral, n. the principal church of a diocese, in which is the seat or throne of a bishop.—adj. belonging to a cathedral.—n. Cathed′ra, a bishop's seat, the episcopal dignity—ex cathedra, from the chair, officially given forth.—adjs. Cathedral′ic, Cathedralesque′, Cathed′raled, vaulted like a cathedral.—n. Cathed′ralism, the cathedral system.—adj. Cathedrat′ic, promulgated ex cathedra, authoritative. [L. cathedra—Gr. kathedra, a seat.]
Catherine-wheel, kath′e-rin-hwēl, n. (archit.) an ornamented window or compartment of a window, of a circular form, with radiating divisions of various colours: (her.) a wheel set round with teeth: a kind of firework which in burning rotates like a wheel.—Catherine pear, a small and early variety of pear.—Turn Catherine-wheels, to make a series of somersaults sideways. [From St Catherine of Alexandria, whom legend makes to suffer martyrdom in the 4th century by torture on a wheel.]