kitty-cornered

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "kitty-cornered" means diagonal from something, set across at an angle. It can describe buildings, roads, or objects positioned corner-to-corner.

#Appalachia #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I probably lean more towards 'catty-cornered', but I also hear kitty-cornered plenty when I'm out n about.

Pronunciation

[KIT-ee-kor-nerd]

Meaning & Usage

- Diagonal, corner-to-corner (adjective/adverb)

Mae:

The post office is kitty-cornered to the diner.

Earl:

Got it - I see it over yonder.

other spellings: kiddy-corner, catty-corner, cater-cornered, diagonal, and crosswise

★ "Kitty-cornered" almost always comes up in directions. It means diagonal - not beside, not straight across, but catty-cornered across the street. ★

Origin

Comes from the old English word "cater" (meaning diagonal, from French *quatre* = four). Over time, it morphed into "cater-corner," then playful variants like "catty-corner" and "kitty-corner." Settlers carried it into Appalachia and the South, where "kitty-cornered" still sticks in everyday talk.

Notes

Heard widely in the South and Appalachia, but also in other parts of the U.S. Variants like "catty-corner" and "kiddy-corner" are common - all mean the same thing.

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it plain: "kitty-cornered." Some folks shorten it to "kiddy-corner."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is it "kitty-corner," "catty-corner," or "cater-cornered"?

All three are correct - just regional variations of the same idea.

Does it only describe buildings?

No - it can describe anything placed diagonally, from roads to rugs.

Is it still used today?

Yes, especially in casual speech when giving directions.