mačka (Serbo-Croatian)

Where does "mačka" come from?

The Serbo-Croatian word 'mačka' originates from the Proto-Slavic *mačьka, which was formed by adding a diminutive suffix to the root *maca, a term for a feline. This root is likely onomatopoeic, mimicking the sounds used to summon cats, a characteristic shared with similar terms like the German 'Mieze'. In modern usage, the word has expanded beyond its original meaning to colloquially describe a pretty girl or a 'chick'.

Full etymology tree

• mačka (Serbo-Croatian), 'cat (animal)'
  • inherited *mačьka (Proto-Slavic), 'cat'
    • suffix *maca (Proto-Slavic), 'pussy, pussycat, female cat'
    • suffix *-ьka (Proto-Slavic)

Ancestors

• *mačьka (Proto-Slavic)

Updated June 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris