civet cat
AmericanEtymology
Origin of civet cat
An Americanism dating back to 1600–10
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.
Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats and was transmitted to another mammal such as a civet cat or an armadillo-like pangolin before being passed on to people.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 10, 2020
McCall told me about civet, a musk material from the civet cat, which was part of the original formula for Chanel No. 5; it’s now produced synthetically.
From The New Yorker • Jan. 26, 2017
It is a "genuine civet cat," "Alaska sable" or "black marten."
From Time Magazine Archive
Also called a civet cat, the small, furry mammal with big innocent-looking eyes is unrelated to real cats, being more of a first cousin to the mongoose.
From Time Magazine Archive
We were careful to keep the latrine door shut and latched at night, so no mongoose or civet cat would find its way in and polish him off.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
