miaou
/mja.u/
The French word for the English phrase "meow" is miaou. Wiktionary also lists miaulement and nyaw.
Meaning: cry of a cat (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| miaou | /mja.u/ /mjaw/ |
|
| miaulement | /mjol.mɑ̃/ | masculine |
| nyaw | feminine |
The term refers to the cry of a cat. You can use the onomatopoeic miaou to represent the sound itself, or the noun miaulement to describe the specific sound or action of a cat meowing. If you want to describe the act of a cat making this cry, use the verb miauler.
Which one should you use?
miaou is the onomatopoeic sound of the meow, whereas miaulement is the formal noun used to describe the actual sound or the act of a cat meowing.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the action of a cat making its cry, use the verb miauler.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /mja.u/.
Did you know?
- The French verb miauler can be used metaphorically to describe a person who complains in a whining or weak tone.
- In French folklore and fables, such as those by Jean de La Fontaine, cats are often given a sophisticated voice that contrasts with their simple miaou.
- The word miaou evolved from older French forms such as miault and myault.
Examples in context
- Le chat fait « miaou ».The cat says "meow".This sentence shows how to use miaou to describe a cat's cry.Tatoeba #2839729 by Aiji, translation #2839724 by AlanF_US
- Miaou.Meow.This example shows miaou used as the sound itself.Tatoeba #5294743 by pititnatole, translation #2176411 by dafp
- La vache fait « meuh » et le chat fait « miaou ».The cow goes "moo" and the cat goes "meow."This sentence compares the sounds made by a cow and a cat using miaou.Tatoeba #11491735 by lbdx, translation #5033420 by scheherezhad
- Le chat a miaoué toute la nuit.The cat meowed all night.
- Le miaulement du chat était fort et strident.The cat's meowing was loud and shrill.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are looking at a kitten in the garden.
- LucasÉcoute le petit chat, il fait miaou !Listen to the little cat, it goes meow!
- ManonOh, c'est trop mignon, elle fait miaou.Oh, it's too cute, she goes meow.
- LucasElle a très faim, je crois.She is very hungry, I think.
- ManonDonne-lui un peu de lait.Give her a little milk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meow” translations and entries miaou, miaulement, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries miaou, miaulement, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
