tabby

== English == === Etymology === Mid 17th century French tabis, from Arabic عَتَّابِيّ (ʕattābiyy), ultimately from Arabic الْعَتَّابِيَّة (al-ʕattābiyya), a quarter of Baghdad (named for a Prince عَتَّاب (ʕattāb)) which is associated with the manufacture of a certain type of waved silk. See also taffeta, another type of silk whose name derives from the Persian تافته (tâfta, “woven cloth”) and shares a similar etymological origin. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈtæb.i/ Rhymes: -æbi === Noun === tabby (countable and uncountable, plural tabbies) (countable, uncountable) A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendering. (uncountable) A concrete mixture of lime with shells, gravel, or stones, in equal proportions, with an equal proportion of water. When dry, this becomes as hard as rock. (countable) A brindled cat. (chiefly Australia, slang) A woman, irrespective of age, but often used for a young, attractive woman. (countable, archaic) An old maid or gossip. ==== Synonyms ==== (old maid or gossip): See Thesaurus:old woman ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === tabby (comparative tabbier, superlative tabbiest) Having a wavy or watered appearance. a tabby waistcoat Brindled; diversified in color. a tabby cat ==== Translations ==== === Verb === tabby (third-person singular simple present tabbies, present participle tabbying, simple past and past participle tabbied) (transitive) To give a wavy or watered appearance to (a textile). === Derived terms === === Anagrams === baby T