French word

chaton

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃatɔ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounkitten

Example

Le chaton dort sur le canapé.

The kitten is sleeping on the sofa.

Illustration for chaton (kitten)

More examples

J'ai vu un chaton dans le jardin ce matin.

I saw a kitten in the garden this morning.

Core concept

A tiny cat curled up asleep, still relying on its mother for care.

Common phrases

  • un chaton perdu

    a lost kitten

  • caresser un chaton

    pet a kitten

  • chaton orphelin

    an orphaned kitten

Similar words

chat: An adult cat commonly kept as a household companion.
minou: A familiar, affectionate term for a cat used in everyday speech.
chiot: A young dog that is small and still growing.

Definition in French

Petit félin né récemment, encore très jeune et souvent dépendant de la mère.

Word origin

French chaton is formed from chat with the diminutive suffix -on, while chat ultimately comes from Latin cattus.

Usage tips

  • Chaton is masculine, so standard forms include un chaton and le chaton, even when the kitten is female.

Opposites

  • chat adulteadult catnoun

Word lists with this word