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catbird seat. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
catbird seat, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
catbird seat in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
catbird seat you have here. The definition of the word
catbird seat will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
catbird seat, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
The expression may originate in regard to the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), as it was in use in the 19th century in the southern United States. It was featured in the 1942 short story "The Catbird Seat" by James Thurber, and popularized by baseball commentator Red Barber, and often referred to baseball. The expression, according to James Thurber, comes from the observation of the catbird (an Australian bird) of the family Ptilonorhynchidae. Some of the male birds will assemble several hundred colored rocks or shells, arranging them in a remarkable artistic display, in order to build a "seat" atop which his mate will eventually be enthroned.
Pronunciation
Noun
catbird seat (plural catbird seats)
- (US, idiomatic) An enviable position, often one of great advantage.
With a big victory in the primary, he was sitting in the catbird seat.
References
- Thurber, J.G., The Catbird Seat, in New Yorker Magazine, November 14, 1942
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “catbird”, in Online Etymology Dictionary, retrieved 17 September 2006.