Definition
A noisy, violent quarrel or fight, usually between two people (often women), involving scratching, pulling, and aggressive physical contact.
Etymology
From 'cat' + 'fight,' alluding to how cats physically fight with scratching, hissing, and wrestling. The term has been used since at least the 1890s, though it now carries negative stereotypical associations with how women are portrayed.
Kelly Says
The term reveals how language reflects cultural biases—calling a fight a 'catfight' specifically when women argue is gendered language that makes violence seem trivial or amusing rather than serious. You'd never describe men fighting as having a 'dogfight' in casual conversation.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እንስሳ ካትስ ግጭት
in-ssa ka-tts g-mit-ch-t
ARالعربية
مشاجرة قطط
misha-jera qit-tat
BNবাংলা
বিড়ালের লড়াই
bi-ral-er lo-dai
CACatalà
batalla de gats
ba-tal-la de gat-s
CSČeština
kočičí potyčka
ko-chi-chi po-ty-cka
DADansk
kattekamp
kat-te-kamp
DEDeutsch
Katzenstreit
kat-zen-sh-trait
ELΕλληνικά
μάχες γατών
ma-ches ga-ton
ESEspañol
pelea de gatos
pe-lea de ga-tos
FAفارسی
جنگ گربه ها
jang gorbeh-ha
FISuomi
kissan taistelu
kis-san tais-tel-u
FRFrançais
bagarre de chats
ba-gar-re de shat
GUGU
કેટ્સબીયાના
ket-sbee-ya-na
HAHA
catesbeiana
ka-tes-bee-ah-na
HEעברית
ריב של חתולים
riv shel chat-u-lim
HIहिन्दी
बिल्ली की लड़ाई
bil-li ki la-dai
HUMagyar
macska verekedése
macs-ka ve-re-ke-de-se
IDBahasa Indonesia
keributan kucing
ke-ri-bu-tan ku-cing
IGIG
catesbeiana
ka-tes-bee-ah-na
ITItaliano
rissa di gatti
ris-sa di gat-ti
JA日本語
猫の喧嘩
neko no ken-ka
KKKK
кәтесбеяна
ka-tes-bee-ya-na
KMKM
កាតសប៊ីអាណា
kaat-sa-bee-a-na
KO한국어
고양이 싸움
go-yang-i ssa-um
MRMR
केट्सबीयाना
ket-sbee-ya-na
MSBahasa Melayu
pergaduhan kucing
per-ga-hu-an ku-cing
MYမြန်မာ
ကျားစောင်း ပြိုင်
kyar-saun p-rai
NLNederlands
katvecht
kat-vecht
NONorsk
kattekamp
kat-te-kamp
PAPA
ਕੈਟਸਬੀਆਨਾ
kaits-bee-ya-na
PLPolski
kłótnia kotów
klot-nia ko-tow
PTPortuguês
briga de gatos
bri-ga de ga-tos
RORomână
scăpărnică de pisici
s-ca-pa-rni-ca de pi-si-ci
RUРусский
драка кошек
dra-ka ko-shek
SVSvenska
kattbråk
kat-tbra-ak
SWKiswahili
mapambano ya paka
ma-pa-ban-o ya pa-ka
TAதமிழ்
பூனை சண்டை
poo-nai shan-tai
TEతెలుగు
కేటెల్ యుద్ధం
ke-tel yu-ddham
THไทย
แมวต่อสู้
maew to-sue
TLTL
labanan ng mga pusa
la-ba-nan ng mga pu-sa
TRTürkçe
kedi dövüşü
ke-di do-vush-u
UKУкраїнська
битва котів
bit-va ko-tiv
URاردو
بلی کی لڑائی
bali ki la-rai
VITiếng Việt
cãi vã mèo
cai va meo
YOYO
catesbeiana
ka-tes-bee-ah-na
ZUZU
catesbeiana
ka-tes-bee-ah-na
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Dehumanizing term exclusively applied to women's conflict, reducing female disagreement to animal aggression; male conflict termed 'debate' or 'rivalry,' encoding gendered power asymmetry.
Inclusive Usage
Avoid entirely. Replace with 'conflict,' 'dispute,' or 'disagreement' regardless of gender.
Inclusive Alternatives
["conflict","dispute","disagreement","rivalry"]