Catchy Meaning
/ˈkæt͡ʃi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjInstantly appealing and memorable.
adjTending to catch or ensnare; entangling.
Sentence Examples
It's a catchy song.
That song is catchy.
Besides it being incredibly catchy, I like nothing about this song.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The advertisement used a ____ tune that people hummed all day long.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new song has a very ____ tune that stays in your head all day city.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Vulgar Latin captus Proto-Indo-European *-yetider. Vulgar Latin -io Vulgar Latin *captiāre Old French chacierbor. Anglo-Norman cachierbor. Middle English cacchen English catch Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English catchy From catch + -y.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Because in today's 2,000mph technological freefall, he who coins the catchiest buzzword generally wins the debate by default."
— 2010 August 30, Charlie Brooker, “Buzzwords for blowhards”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 30 May 2023:
"The best of friends become the worst of enemies when Barney makes a hilarious attack ad where he viciously pummels a cardboard cut-out of Homer before special guest star Linda Ronstadt joins the fun to both continue the attack on the helpless Homer stand-in and croon a slanderously accurate, insanely catchy jingle about how “Mr. Plow is a loser/And I think he is a boozer.”"
— 2012 June 3, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Mr. Plow” (season 4, episode 9; originally aired 11/19/1992)”, in AV Club, archived from the original on 28 Dec 2012:
"The catchy cold which has been transmitted to you directly or indirectly might have been avoided had you been in better physical condition."
— 1941, Florence LaGanke Harris, Hazel Hanna Huston, The New Home Economics Omnibus:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The advertisement used a ____ tune that people hummed all day long.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new song has a very ____ tune that stays in your head all day city.