Know Your English (Dec 2001)-7

Know your English

What is a female cat called?

A female cat is called a queen. Male cats, on the other hand, are called toms. Cats are generally associated with the female of the species. When you call a woman ``catty'', for example, what you are implying is that she is very unpleasant and usually has a lot of nasty things to say about others. When a young girl dresses like a boy and seems to enjoy playing the kind of games that young boys play, then she is often called a``tomboy''.

Source:

The Hindu daily, Tuesday, Dec 18, 2001