# Cats & Dogs: Catadupa and Cata doxa

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-dogs-catadupa-and-cata-doxa/49305>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [January 10, 2001, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-dogs-catadupa-and-cata-doxa/49305 "2001-01-10T08:45:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CheBanana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@CheBanana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheBanana)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-dogs-catadupa-and-cata-doxa/49305/1 "2001-01-10T08:45:03Z")

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Attempting to tackle the origin of “Its raining cats and dogs” Cecil proposes, inter alia, that: “It comes from the Greek catadupe, waterfall…It comes from the Latin cata doxas, contrary to experience, i.e., it’s raining unusually hard.”

Just like to point out a slight mix up:

- “Cata doxa” is a Greek, not a Latin phrase which means contrary to experience or belief.
- “Catadupe” is not a Greek expression (classical or contemporary). The closest bonafide expression is “catadsis” which means to plunge or to submerge.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-dogs-catadupa-and-cata-doxa/49305/2 "2001-01-10T15:02:47Z")

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And the column in question is, [Is it possible to rain frogs, cats, dogs, etc.?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a901207a.html)

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-dogs-catadupa-and-cata-doxa/49305/3 "2001-01-10T18:59:49Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment.

Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL).

Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by the friendly _Anser sp._ (or is it _Branta_?)

* * *

moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» \*\*

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-dogs-catadupa-and-cata-doxa/49305/4 "2001-01-11T00:49:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried \*  
> \*\*  
> Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by the friendly Anser sp. (or is it Branta?)_\*

I thought her name referred to the Magpie Goose of Australia, _Anseranas semipalmata_, whose scientific name means Goose-duck. But I suppose it really should be _Anasanasanser_. 😉