From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcatkincat‧kin /ˈkætkɪn/ noun [countable] British EnglishHBP a long soft flower that hangs in groups from the branches of trees such as the willow
Examples from the Corpus
catkin• Hazel catkins Witches' broom Bluebells are indicators of ancient woodland.• She smoked cheap cigars, and the ash lay on her cardigans like catkins.Origin catkin (1500-1600) Early Dutch katteken “kitten”; because it looks like a cat's tail 