any of several wildcats, esp. the leopard or the European wildcat
Word origin
cat1 + obs. a, of + mountain
catamountain in American English
(ˌkætəˈmauntn)
noun
a wild animal of the cat family, as the European wildcat, the leopard, or panther
Also: cat-o'-mountain
Word origin
[1400–50; var. of cat o' mountain, late ME cat of the mountaine]This word is first recorded in the period 1400–50. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: dial, oblique, peg, structure, transit