adj
catty
KA-tee
adj
1
Deliberately spiteful or snide in a subtle, needling way.
"She made a catty remark about her coworker's outfit."
"The comments under the post got increasingly catty."
How to Use Catty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMean in a sly, indirect way — snide rather than openly aggressive.
Common pairings
a catty comment
catty remarks
Word Forms
cattier comparative, catties plural, cattys plural, catties plural, cattiest superlative
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She made a _____ remark about her coworker's outfit.
Etymology
From cat + -y, likening sharp, sly remarks to a cat's hidden claws.