NYT Dictionary

CATAMITE

/ˈkætəmaɪt/
NounVerbCAT-a-mitecat-a-mite · 3 syllablesGrade 11

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A boy or younger man in a homoerotic relationship with an older man.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

From Latin catamītus (“boy kept as a sexual partner”), from Catamītus, from Etruscan 𐌂𐌀𐌕𐌌𐌉𐌕𐌄 (catmite), from Ancient Greek Γανυμήδης (Ganumḗdēs, “Ganymede”), an attractive Trojan boy supposedly abducted to Mount Olympus by the god Zeus to become his cupbearer and lover. Doublet of Ganymede.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

Ganymedepunkgunselbisexualbutchchickendykefagfaggotfairy

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

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