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meerkat

American

[meer-kat] / ˈmɪər kæt /

noun

suricate.

meerkat British

/ ˈmɪəˌkæt /

noun

any of several South African mongooses, esp Suricata suricatta ( slender-tailed meerkat or suricate ), which has a lemur-like face and four-toed feet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of meerkat

Dutch: literally, monkey, apparently equivalent to meer ( see mere ²) + kat cat

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.

One of the most familiar cooperative breeders to a human audience might be the meerkat, thanks to the documentary series Meerkat Manor.

From Slate • May 10, 2026

Bob, a one-eyed African black-footed penguin, and Grub, a meerkat, were also scanned, along with a sloth named Arlo.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

"When one meerkat calls, a neighbour is likely to reply," he adds.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2024

Since the meerkat deaths, the zoo has ceased using the dye on small animals like titi monkeys and lemurs, Ms. Metz said.

From New York Times • Jun. 15, 2023

“Those bones are meerkat bones. Have them checked by an expert.”

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023