Tuxedo Cat
/tʌkˈsiː.doʊ kæt/noun
A domestic cat with predominantly black fur and distinctive white markings resembling formal evening wear.
Did you know?“Tuxedo cat” describes a color pattern, not a breed; genetically unrelated cats can develop the same black-and-white markings.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern period
Egyptian/Latin
cat
“Domestic cats spread from the Near East and Egypt; the later European word likely reflects an Afro-Eurasian term for the animal.”
Late Antiquity
Late Latin
cattus
“A cat; this form replaced earlier Latin fēles in much of spoken European Latin.”
Old English
Old English
catt
“Cat, the domestic feline; borrowed through Germanic contact with Late Latin.”
1880s
American English
tuxedo
“A formal dinner jacket, named after Tuxedo Park, an exclusive resort community in New York.”
20th century
American English
tuxedo cat
“A black-and-white cat whose markings evoke a black jacket and white shirtfront.”