[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/meow/)

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# meow

verb (meow, meows, meowed, meowing); noun (a meow, meows); interjection (Meow!)

«meow» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A meow is the soft crying sound a cat makes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#m1)
2. To meow is to make this sound. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#m2)
3. (slang) People sometimes say "meow" after someone makes a catty, spiteful remark, as a joke. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories and early reading, "meow" is a sound word (onomatopoeia) showing that a cat is speaking. In everyday life cats meow to ask for food or to be let in. Phrases: "the cat meowed at the door", "a little meow".

### Examples

- The kitten meowed until I gave it some milk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#x1)
- "Meow!" said the cat, rubbing against my legs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#x2)
- We heard a sad meow from under the shed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#x3)
- Our cat meows at the door every morning to be let out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#x4)
- In music class we sang a song with lots of meows in it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#x5)
- (slang) "Your hair looks like a bird's nest." "Ooh, meow!" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/#x6)

### Note

Spelled "meow" in American English and often "miaow" or "miaou" in British English; all mean the same. It is an onomatopoeia, a word that sounds like the noise it names, like "woof" and "moo". Past: meowed.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «meow» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/meow/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«meow» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/meow.html) on Mova free.