Meanings
Synonyms & antonyms
nouncat meat
Origin
- Middle Low Germanbönhase“cat”
- Englishroof rabbit
From roof + rabbit. From the common habit of cats to prowl on rooftops, and the meat being sold or passed off as rabbit. Similar formations exist in several European languages. Perhaps the earliest attestation (and eventual origin?) is Middle Low German bönhase (“cat”, literally “loft hare”), which is attested in the early 14th century (as a name and thus probably even older). More at German Bönhase and Dachhase.
More words from Middle Low German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch dakhaas
- dakhaas(euphemistic) cat meat — see also cat meat
French lapin de gouttière
- lapin de gouttière(euphemistic) cat meat — see also cat meat
German Dachhase
- Dachhase(euphemistic) cat meat — see also cat meat
Italian coniglio di grondaia
- coniglio di grondaia(euphemistic) cat meat — see also cat meat
Cite this entry
roof rabbit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roof%20rabbit
“roof rabbit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roof%20rabbit. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “roof rabbit,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roof%20rabbit.
Source: roof rabbit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.