roof rabbit

English

Etymology

From roof +‎ rabbit. From the common activity of cats being on roofs, and it being sold or passed off as rabbit. Similar formations exist in several European languages. Perhaps the earliest attestation (and eventual origin?) is Middle Low German bönhase (“cat”, literally “loft hare”), which is attested in the early 14th century (as a name and thus probably even older).

Noun

roof rabbit (plural roof rabbits)

(euphemistic) cat meat

Synonyms

gutter rabbit

Translations

Dutch: dakhaas (nl)
French: lapin de gouttière

German: Dachhase (de) m
Italian: coniglio di grondaia

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