catnip

plural catnips · alternative cat nip · alternative cat-nip

1. countableuncountableAny of the about 250 species of flowering plant of the genus Nepeta, family Lamiaceae, certain of which are said to have medicinal qualities.

   Heavy mulching should help with winter survival of hardy, fragrant leaved perennials like lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), catnip (Nepeta mussini), sage (Salvia officinalis), mint, oregano (Origanum vulgare) and thyme (Thymus species).

   1991 August 4, Linda Yang, “Garden Q. & A.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 May 2015

   Synonyms: catmint, catwort

   1. countableuncountableNepeta cataria and Nepeta grandiflora (and perhaps other species), which are well-known for causing an apparently harmless pheromone-based intoxication among certain cats.

      Some cats go bonkers over catnip; others ignore it.

      1 more example

      But exactly how catnip—and a substitute, known as silver vine—produce this feline high has long been a mystery. Now, a study suggests the key intoxicating chemicals in the plants activate cats’ opioid systems much like heroin and morphine do in people.

      2021 January 20, Sofia Moutinho, “Why cats are crazy for catnip”, in Science, Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Jan 2021

      Synonyms: catmint, catwort

2. countablefigurativelyuncountableSomething that causes excitement or interest.

   Near-synonym: crack

   5 more examples

   Their outrage was catnip to the trolls who had deepfaked the video.

   The language [OCaml]’s rigor is like catnip to some people, though, giving Jane Street an unusual advantage in the tight hiring market for programmers.

   2015 April 2, James Somers, “Toolkits for the Mind”, in MIT Technology Review, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Technology Review, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2020

   Since Rupert Murdoch famously bet the farm on Premier League football to rescue Sky TV in 1991, it has been the catnip that has underpinned subscriber loyalty and, even in a far more complicated media landscape, is seen as so vital as to be worth almost any price.

   2016 October 24, Owen Gibson, “Is the unthinkable happening – are people finally switching the football off?”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Oct 2016

   Unlike IPOs, however, ICOs are catnip for scammers.

   2017 May 31, David Z. Morris, “The Rise of Cryptocurrency Ponzi Schemes”, in Jeffrey Goldberg, editor, The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 31 May 2017

   This hot new Shoreditch trattoria already is catnip for the style set.

   2019 September 14, Elizabeth Paton, “A Fashion/Food Blowout in the Shadow of Brexit”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Sep 2019

   Synonyms: crack