Definition

1. Noun:
   • A wildcat of Europe: A bushy-tailed wildcat (Felis silvestris) found in Europe, which physically resembles a domestic cat and is considered a possible ancestor of the domestic cat.
   • (Archaic) A fierce or quarrelsome person: A person who is prone to fighting or is considered fierce and combative.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Animal):
  • The elusive catamountain is rarely seen by hikers in the Scottish Highlands.
  • Conservation efforts focus on protecting the habitat of the European catamountain.
• Noun (Person - Archaic):
  • The old sailor was known in the tavern as a real catamountain, always looking for a fight.

Advanced Usage

• The term is now considered somewhat archaic, especially when referring to the animal. The more common modern terms are European wildcat or simply wildcat.
• In historical or literary texts, "catamountain" might be used for stylistic effect to evoke a sense of the past or wilderness.

Variants and Related Words

• Cat-o'-mountain: An alternative spelling of the same word.
• Wildcat: The general term for small, undomesticated felines, including the species referred to as the catamountain.
• Catamount: A North American term, often used as a synonym for a cougar or puma, which is a completely different, much larger animal. Do not confuse with 'catamountain'.

Synonyms

• European wildcat (for the animal)
• Felis silvestris (scientific name for the animal)
• Brawler, scrapper (for the archaic human sense)

Related Phrases and Idioms

Noun

1. bushy-tailed wildcat of Europe that resembles the domestic cat and is regarded as the ancestor of the domestic cat