# meerkitten

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɪəkɪtən/

## Definitions
1. An infant or juvenile meerkat.

## Etymology
Formed by the compounding of meer- (the first element of meerkat) with kitten (“young cat”). The analysis of the -kat element of meerkat as cat is supported by meerkat’s ultimate derivation from the Middle Dutch meercatte, believed to have been formed from mere (“lake”, “sea”) + catte (“cat”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/meerkitten