cattycorner
Diagonally across, like the store on the far corner of the square.
Also called catty-corner, catty-cornered, catercorner.
Updated September 21, 2026
cattycorner pronunciation
/KAT-ee-kor-ner/
Meaning
Means sitting or going on a slant from one corner to the opposite one. In Southern and South Midland talk, cattycorner (or catty-cornered) is the form you hear at the gas pump and the courthouse square. Up north, folks often say kitty-corner for the same idea. Nothing to do with actual cats.
How folks use it
- “The bait shop sits cattycorner from the feed store.”
- “Park cattycorner across the lot and you'll see the deer stand from the truck.”
Origin and etymology
Comes from older cater-cornered, built on French quatre (four), like the diagonal spots on a die. Americans remade unfamiliar cater- into catty- and kitty- in the 1800s. Dictionary of American Regional English maps catty-corner strongest in the South and South Midland.
Frequently asked questions
Is cattycorner the same as kitty-corner?
Same meaning. Cattycorner is the Southern-leaning form. Kitty-corner shows up more up north and out west.