ichneumon

American  

[ik-noo-muhn, -nyoo-] / ɪkˈnu mən, -ˈnyu- /

noun

1. Also called African mongoose.  Also called Egyptian mongoose.  a slender, long-tailed mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon, inhabiting Africa and southern Europe, and believed by the ancient Egyptians to devour crocodile eggs.

2. ichneumon fly.

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ichneumon British  

/ ɪkˈnjuːmən /

noun

1. a mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon, of Africa and S Europe, having greyish-brown speckled fur

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Etymology

Origin of ichneumon

1565–75; < Latin < Greek ichneúmōn tracker, equivalent to ichneú ( ein ) to track ( ichno- ) + -mōn agent suffix

Example Sentences

The ichneumon wasp was a challenge to Darwin’s already diminishing faith.

From The Guardian • Nov. 12, 2016

And though it isn’t a beetle, the elegant pipe cleaner, an ichneumon wasp, looks as if it’s preening for its first portrait as a principal ballet dancer.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2013

The girls recovered on cerumen, chaffinch and ichneumon.

From Time Magazine Archive

Many of the insect-feeding birds commit fearful havoc among their larv�, and often chase the perfect insects on the wing, but perhaps their greatest enemy is the ichneumon fly.

From Butterflies and Moths (British) by Furneaux, William S.

In one nome or division of the kingdom the crocodile was sacred; in another he was regarded with dislike, and the ichneumon, that was supposed to be his destroyer, was deified.

From The Cat of Bubastes A Tale of Ancient Egypt by Weguelin, J. R. (John Reinhard)