catty cornered etymology

Etymology:

The word "cattycornered" is a combination of the words:

• Cat: A shortening of "catercorner," which means "diagonally opposite"
• Corner: A sharp angle between two sides

Meaning and Origin:

"Cattycornered" means diagonally opposite or at an angle of 45 degrees. It is used to describe the position of two objects or places that are not directly across from each other but rather in a diagonal line.

The term originated in the 17th century from the phrase "cater-corner," which was a playful corruption of the French phrase "quatre coins," meaning "four corners." This phrase referred to the position of a piece on a checkerboard that is diagonally opposite another piece.

Over time, "cater-corner" evolved into "cattycorner," and its meaning expanded to include any diagonally opposite position. It is commonly used in everyday speech and writing to describe the location of buildings, streets, and other objects.

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