catnip
noun/ˈkætnɪp/
Etymology Compound of cat + nep, nip (“catnip”), from Middle English nep, from Old English nepte, from Proto-West Germanic *nepetā, from Latin nepeta (“catnip”). Compare earlier catmint (“catnip”), from Middle English catt mynte, which very likely existed in Old English (as *cattes minte) as well.
1
Any of the about 250 species of flowering plant of the genus Nepeta, family Lamiaceae, certain of which are said to have medicinal qualities.
2
Nepeta 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.
- 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, →DOI:
3
Figuratively Something that causes excitement or interest.
- The language’s^([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:
- 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 The Guardian, London:
3 more examples
- Unlike IPOs, however, ICOs are catnip for scammers.2017 May 31, David Z. Morris, “The Rise of Cryptocurrency Ponzi Schemes”, in The Atlantic:
- 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 New York Times:
- While some might see xAI’s new anime avatars as a harmless experiment, they’re emotional catnip for vulnerable users.2025 July 16, Marcus Mendes, “Grok may be breaking App Store rules with sexualized AI chatbots, and that’s not the only problem”, in 9 to 5 Mac: