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civet

/ˈsɪ.vɪt/ noun

Latin root: zibethum Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about civet at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. Any of the small carnivorous catlike mammals encompassing certain species from the families Viverridae, Eupleridae, and Nandiniidae, native to tropical Africa and Asia.
  2. The musky perfume produced by the animal; civetone.
  3. A spotted skunk.

Origin

From French civette, from Italian zibetto, from Medieval Latin zibethum, from Arabic زَبَاد (zabād).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)