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; see zibet

Example Sentences

Civet poop coffee has been around for decades—National Geographic magazine first reported on it in 1981—but the product continues to resonate and has even grown in popularity.

From National Geographic • Dec. 12, 2023

However, many in the industry are still reluctant to face up to the fact that the impact of climate change could be long lasting, Civet said.

From Reuters • Apr. 3, 2022

Morning joe wrecked by Civet disobedience: It pooped decaf beans.

From Washington Post • Mar. 2, 2017

Related: Civet cat coffee: can world's most expensive brew be made sustainably?

From The Guardian • Sep. 13, 2015

From East Egg, then, came the Chester Beckers and the Leeches and a man named Bunsen whom I knew at Yale and Doctor Webster Civet who was drowned last summer up in Maine.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald