mongoose

[ mong-goos, mon- ]

noun,plural mon·goos·es.
  1. a slender, ferretlike carnivore, Herpestes edwardsi, of India, that feeds on rodents, birds, and eggs, noted especially for its ability to kill cobras and other venomous snakes.

  2. any of several other animals of this genus or related genera.

Origin of mongoose

1
1690–1700; <Marathi mangūs, variant of muṅgūs

Words Nearby mongoose

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British Dictionary definitions for mongoose

mongoose

/ (ˈmɒŋˌɡuːs) /


nounplural -gooses
  1. any small predatory viverrine mammal of the genus Herpestes and related genera, occurring in Africa and from S Europe to SE Asia, typically having a long tail and brindled coat

Origin of mongoose

1
C17: from Marathi mangūs, of Dravidian origin

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