What does catcalling mean?
Catcalling is a noun referring to a loud, abrupt vocal outburst directed at someone in public — most commonly a whistle or suggestive shout aimed at a stranger, typically a woman, on the street, which is today widely recognised as a form of harassment. The term also retains an older meaning: a raucous cry or jeer from an audience signalling disapproval of a performer, official, or team. Both senses carry negative weight, though they differ in tone — one implies unwanted sexual attention, the other open derision. The word derives from 'catcall', a term recorded in English by the seventeenth century, when theatregoers would hiss and screech like cats to express contempt. In contemporary writing, catcalling appears frequently in journalism and activism about public safety and gender, making it an important word for understanding modern conversations about behaviour in shared spaces.
A loud whistle or sexually suggestive shout directed at someone in public, or a noisy expression of disapproval from an audience.
"Street catcalling remains a persistent complaint raised by urban commuters."
Often treated as a mass noun in modern usage; the countable sense pairs naturally with 'a chorus of catcalls'.
The action or practice of directing catcalls at someone.
"Campaigns against catcalling have gained momentum across several European cities."
Frequently functions as the gerund of the verb 'catcall'.
Rarely used; 'catcalling' usually behaves as an uncountable mass noun, so the plural appears only occasionally in formal contexts.
"Various forms of catcalling were catalogued in the study of street harassment."
The 'cat' in catcalling may come from the Greek-derived word 'catachresis' — or possibly from Old French 'cataquasse' — but by the 1600s English audiences were literally hissing and caterwauling like cats at actors they disliked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of catcalling
Catcalling comes from the noun 'catcall', attested in English by the early seventeenth century, originally describing a whistle or shriek used by theatre audiences to express displeasure — evoking the yowling of a cat. The first element, 'cat', likely alludes to that feline imagery, though some sources suggest possible derivation via the Latin prefix 'cata-' as in 'catachresis'; the precise route is uncertain. Over time the term broadened from theatrical jeering to include sexual whistles and shouts in the street, a sense that became prominent in late twentieth-century discussions of harassment. Related forms include the plural 'catcalls' and the verb 'to catcall'.
Related word forms
How catcalling is actually used
In modern usage, the first sense dominates public discourse, particularly around street harassment, giving the word strongly negative connotations. The older theatrical sense — jeering at performers — survives mainly in sports and comedy contexts and is sometimes used without sexual connotation. The verb phrase 'to catcall' is common, with 'catcalling' functioning as its gerund and as a mass noun.
Easily confused with catcalling
A cattle call is an open audition inviting large numbers of performers, while catcalling refers to whistles or jeers directed at a person.