catnap
catnap Lexical Profile
catnap Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A very short, light sleep, especially one taken during the day.
"She took a quick twenty-minute catnap on the sofa before returning to her afternoon study session."
• verb
To sleep lightly for a very short period of time, especially during the day.
"The exhausted commuter catnapped on the train ride home from the office."
To abduct or steal a cat (formed by analogy with 'kidnap').
"The neighbors worried that someone had catnapped their prize-winning Persian when it vanished from the garden."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'catnap' (a brief sleep) with 'catnip' (an aromatic herb that attracts cats).
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century as a compound of 'cat' and 'nap', alluding to the habit of domestic cats taking frequent, light, and brief bouts of sleep throughout the day.