civet

American  

[siv-it] / ˈsɪv ɪt /

noun

1. a yellowish, unctuous substance with a strong musklike odor, obtained from a pouch in the genital region of civets and used in perfumery.

2. any catlike, carnivorous mammal of the subfamily Viverrinae, chiefly of southern Asia and Africa, having a coarse-haired, spotted coat, rounded ears, and a narrow muzzle.

3. any of various related or similar animals, as the palm civet.

4. cacomistle.

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civet British  

/ ˈsɪvɪt /

noun

1. any catlike viverrine mammal of the genus Viverra and related genera, of Africa and S Asia, typically having blotched or spotted fur and secreting a powerfully smelling fluid from anal glands

2. the yellowish fatty secretion of such an animal, used as a fixative in the manufacture of perfumes

3. the fur of such an animal

4. short for palm civet

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Other Word Forms

• civetlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of civet

1525–35; < Middle French civette < Catalan civetta ≪ Arabic zabād civet perfume; zibet

Example Sentences

Even Walmart’s website sells a roughly two-pound bag of Kopi Luwak coffee, which is made of beans excreted by a civet, for $449.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

Each civet species was captured in box traps.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

Some researchers suspected a species of civet was an intermediary for the COVID-19 virus jumping to people.

From National Geographic • Dec. 12, 2023

Viruses leap from bats to humans either by way of an intermediary host, such as a pig, chimpanzee or civet, or more directly through human contact with bat urine, feces, blood, or saliva.

From Reuters • May 16, 2023

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