airplane ears

English

Etymology

From the shape of a cat's ears resembling the wings of an airplane.

Noun

airplane ears pl (plural only)

  1. (colloquial) The folded ears of an animal (most often a cat) when they are irritated or angry.
    You can tell Mittens hates Fido from her airplane ears whenever she sees him.
    • 2024 June 20, Christian Adams with Dr. Marta Vidal-Abarca, “Cat Airplane Ears: 4 Vet-Verified Reasons Why Cats Do This, Facts & FAQ”, in Catster‎[1], Pangolia Pte. Ltd, archived from the original on 25 June 2024:
      When cats are scared, they will often lift their airplane ears in order to better detect and listen for any potential threats even if there isn’t anything visibly threatening nearby.

Translations

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