Definition
An old female cat; a cat regarded as sinister or evil; also used for a spiteful old woman.
Etymology
From 'grey' + 'Malkin' (a diminutive of Matilda, once a common name for cats). Shakespeare used it in Macbeth — 'I come, Graymalkin!' says one of the witches' familiar spirits.
Kelly Says
Shakespeare's witches had a cat called Grimalkin! It's 'grey' + 'Malkin' (a cat name from Matilda). Every old grey cat with mysterious eyes is a grimalkin — a witchy, wise, slightly spooky feline philosopher! ðŸ±â€ðŸ‘¤ðŸ§™â€â™€ï¸
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ጥቁር cripciones
tiq-kur kre-pish-ens
ARالعربية
قطة سوداء
qitatu suda'a
BNবাংলা
কালো বিড়াল
kalo bidual
CACatalà
gatera negra
ga-te-ra neh-gra
CSČeština
černá kočka
chern-ah ko-chka
DADansk
sort kat
sort kat
DEDeutsch
schwarze Katze
shvar-tsu kat-tsu
ELΕλληνικά
μαύρη γάτα
mavri gata
ESEspañol
gato negro
gah-toh neh-groh
FAفارسی
گربه سیاه
gorbeh siyah
FISuomi
musta kissa
muh-sta ki-ssa
FRFrançais
chat noir
shah nwar
GUGU
કાળી બિલ્લી
kaali bil-lee
HEעברית
חתול שחור
chatul shachor
HIहिन्दी
काला बिल्ली
kaala billi
HUMagyar
fekete macska
fe-ke-te mak-ska
IDBahasa Indonesia
kucing hitam
ku-cing hi-tam
IGIG
nri n'egbu
nri n-eg-boo
ITItaliano
gatto nero
gah-toh neh-roh
KKKK
с қара қошқар
s kara qoshqar
KMKM
ឆ្នាយខ្មៅ
chnaay khmaou
KO한국어
검은 고양이
geomeun goyangi
MRMR
काळा बिल्ल
kaala bil-la
MSBahasa Melayu
kucing hitam
ku-ching hi-tam
MYမြန်မာ
ရှမ်းရွက်
shan-ywet
NLNederlands
zwarte kat
tswar-tu kat
NONorsk
svart katt
svarrt kat
PLPolski
czarny kot
tsarn-i kot
PTPortuguês
gato negro
gah-toh neh-groh
RORomână
pisică neagră
pees-i-ka neh-gra
RUРусский
чёрная кошка
chyornaya kosha
SVSvenska
svart katt
svarr kat
SWKiswahili
paka nyeusi
pa-ka nyew-si
TAதமிழ்
கருப்பு பூனை
karuppu punaai
TEతెలుగు
కాల బिल्ली
kaala billi
TLTL
itim na pusa
i-tim na poo-sa
TRTürkçe
siyah kedi
siyah ke-di
UKУкраїнська
чорна кішка
chorna kishka
URاردو
کالے بلی
kalee blee
VITiếng Việt
con đen
kon den
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Grimalkin (gray cat) became associated with witches' familiars and old women in medieval literature, loading the term with misogynistic folklore linking cats, aging women, and supernatural threat.
Inclusive Usage
Use descriptively for cats without reference to gender or witchcraft associations. Avoid applying to women.
Inclusive Alternatives
["cat","feline"]