What does mew mean?
Mew is the high-pitched, drawn-out cry of a cat and, as a verb, the act of making that cry. A cat may mew when it is distressed, seeking attention, or addressing another cat, although the word does not require a specific emotional context: its core meaning is simply to make the characteristic feline sound. The noun likewise denotes the sound itself, while forms such as “mewing” describe the vocalization or its repetition. Mew is especially familiar from literary and dramatic English, where it can create a cold, mournful, or furtive atmosphere, but it remains perfectly natural in direct descriptions of cats and kittens. Its precise pronunciation is /mjuː/, with a consonantal /j/ followed by /uː/. In modern everyday usage, “meow” is often preferred, yet “mew” remains useful when a writer wants a more formal or evocative effect.
To make the characteristic high-pitched cry of a cat.
"The cat sat on the fence and mewed at the birds."
Used independently in the present tense and commonly in the form “mewing.”
The characteristic high-pitched cry made by a cat.
"A plaintive mew came from the garden."
The plural mews is standard but uncommon and may be mistaken for the separate noun meaning a group of stables.
This plural is rare in modern usage and can be confused with the established independent noun mews, meaning a group of stables or converted carriage buildings.
"The cat's mews echoed through the passage."
Mew is both a cat's cry and the verb for making it—a sound and its action packed into one word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mew come from?
Mew is an English imitative formation whose sound imitates the high-pitched cry of a cat. Its Middle English form, mewe, continued Old English mīwe, an older term for a cat-like cry. The same vocal pattern appears in cognate Germanic forms such as Dutch miauwen, German miauen, and Danish miaue.
Related word forms
How mew is actually used
Mew has a literary and sometimes old-fashioned flavor, but it remains readily understood and natural in descriptions of cats.
Easily confused with mew
Both words describe a cat's characteristic cry, but mew is more literary and less common in everyday speech.