What does catcalled mean?
Catcalled is the past tense and past participle of the verb catcall, meaning to shout rude, mocking, or sexually suggestive remarks or whistles at someone, most commonly a woman walking through a public space. The word has two historical strands: in nineteenth-century theatres, audiences 'catcalled' performers they disliked, hissing and jeering much as cats yowl, and this noisy disapproval gave the term its name. Today the dominant sense is street harassment, and the verb almost always carries strongly negative connotations, appearing frequently in discussions of sexism, public safety, and everyday misogyny. It is most often used passively, as in 'she was catcalled on her way home,' which underscores that the target is typically going about ordinary business rather than inviting attention. Writers also use it figuratively for any loud public heckling, such as a politician being catcalled at a rally. Understanding the word means recognizing both its theatrical origins and its serious contemporary weight.
verb (past tense and past participle of 'catcall')Past tense and past participle of catcall: to shout derisive or harassing remarks or whistles at someone, especially a woman passing by or a performer on stage.
- To shout rude, sexual, or mocking comments or whistles at someone, especially a woman in public.
- To jeer at a performer or public speaker as an expression of disapproval.
"As she walked past the construction site, she was catcalled by a group of workers."
"The comedian refused to be rattled when a heckler catcalled him from the back row."
"She wrote an article about being catcalled on her morning commute."
The word began as theatre criticism — Victorian audiences literally hissed and howled 'like cats' at performers they disliked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of catcalled
Catcall combines 'cat' with 'call' and arose in the world of English theatre, where audiences expressed displeasure with a performance by making noises likened to the cries and yowls of cats; such jeering is attested from around the mid-seventeenth century. The 'call' element traces back through Middle English to Old Norse 'kalla', which also gives us related words such as recall and miscall. Over time the term shifted from stage-side heckling to its modern dominant meaning of shouting harassing or sexual remarks at people, especially women, in public places.
Related word forms
How catcalled is actually used
Most often used in the passive ('she was catcalled'), reflecting that the target is typically minding their own business. In modern usage it carries strongly negative connotations tied to street harassment; the older theatrical sense of jeering at a stage performance is now largely historical.
Easily confused with catcalled
To caterwaul is to make a shrill wailing noise like a cat (or to quarrel noisily), whereas to catcall is to direct shouted comments or whistles at a person.