cacomistle
Americannoun
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Also called bassarisk, ringtail, coon cat. Also cacomixle a carnivorous animal, Bassariscus astutus, of Mexico and the southwestern U.S., related to the raccoon but smaller, with a sharper snout and longer tail.
noun
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a catlike omnivorous mammal, Bassariscus astutus, of S North America, related to but smaller than the raccoons: family Procyonidae, order Carnivora (carnivores). It has yellowish-grey fur and a long bushy tail banded in black and white
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a related smaller animal, Jentinkia (or Bassariscus ) sumichrasti, of Central America
Etymology
Origin of cacomistle
1865–70, < Mexican Spanish cacomiztle, cacomixtle < Nahuatl tlahcomiztli, equivalent to tlahco- half, middle + miztli cougar
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also could have gotten it right with two alternate spellings: "cacomistle" or "cacomixle."
From US News
He also could have gotten it right with two alternate spellings: “cacomistle” or “cacomixle.”
From Washington Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
