mongoose

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

Any of several species of generalist predatory carnivores in the family Herpestidae; the various species range in size from rats to large cats. Indian mongooses are predators of venomous snakes, though other mongoose species have similar habits.
Any members of family Eupleridae of Malagasy mongooses, only distantly related to the Herpestidae, but resembling them in appearance and habits, with larger ears and ringed tails.

Pronunciation

/ˈmɒŋ.ɡuːs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mongoose.wav /ˈmɑŋ.ɡus/ /ˈmʌŋ.ɡus/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-mongoose.wav /ˈmɔŋ.ɡʉːs/ /məŋ.ɡus/ /mʊŋ.ɡus/

Word forms

mongoose mongooses mongeese mungoose

Etymology

First attested in the 1690s. Borrowed from Portuguese manguço, from Marathi मुंगूस (muṅgūs), from Old Marathi 𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭 (muṃgusa). Ultimately a Dravidian borrowing (compare Telugu ముంగిస (muṅgisa)), from Proto-Dravidian *mūnkūc- (“mongoose”). Spelling altered by folk-etymological association with goose. Displaced native Old English nǣderbita (literally “snake biter”).

Synonyms

herpestid

Derived words

African mongoose Angolan slender mongoose banded mongoose Bengal mongoose black-footed mongoose black-legged mongoose black mongoose brown-tailed mongoose bushy-tailed mongoose Cape gray mongoose collared mongoose common dwarf mongoose common mongoose common slender mongoose crab-eating mongoose dwarf mongoose Egyptian mongoose Ethiopian dwarf mongoose Gambian mongoose Grandidier's mongoose Indian brown mongoose Indian gray mongoose/Indian mongoose Jackson's mongoose Javan mongoose large gray mongoose Liberian mongoose long-nosed mongoose mad as a mongoose Malagasy mongoose marsh mongoose Meller's mongoose mongoose bat mongoose lemur narrow-striped mongoose Pousargues's mongoose ring-tailed mongoose ruddy mongoose Selous's mongoose short-tailed mongoose slender mongoose small Indian mongoose Sokoke dog mongoose stripe-necked mongoose Somalian slender mongoose white-tailed mongoose yellow mongoose zebra mongoose

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