How to pronounce tabby
American English pronunciation
TAB-ee
- IPA
- /ˈtæbi/
- Syllables
- TAB · ee (2 syllables, stress on the 1st)
Love words? Try a free round: no sign-up, about two minutes. Play free
What tabby means
A cat with dark stripes or swirls in its fur
In a sentence: Our tabby curled up on the windowsill with her striped tail over her nose.
Where it comes from: It came into English in the mid 17th century from the name of a wavy silk cloth. The cloth was named after one part of Baghdad, a city where it was made.
Can you spot the real meaning? Try one
Loading a word…
Another meaning
A heavy silk with a wavy, watery pattern
In a sentence: Her gown was made of shimmering tabby that rippled like water in the candlelight.
Where it comes from: It came into English in the mid 17th century from the name of a part of Baghdad where this wavy silk was made. The striped cat was later named after the cloth.
Can you spot the real meaning? Play Wordfib
One free round, no sign-up. Wordfib shows a word and four meanings: one real, three fibs.