ratel

[ reyt-l, raht-l ]

noun
  1. a badgerlike carnivore, Mellivora capensis, of Africa and India.

Origin of ratel

1
1770–80; <Afrikaans <Dutch dialect ratel, variant of raat honeycomb; perhaps originally a compound with this word, referring to the animal's fondness for honey

Words Nearby ratel

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How to use ratel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ratel

ratel

/ (ˈreɪtəl) /


noun
  1. Also called: honey badger a musteline mammal, Mellivora capensis, inhabiting wooded regions of Africa and S Asia. It has a massive body, strong claws, and a thick coat that is paler on the back and it feeds on honey and small animals

  2. Southern African a six-wheeled armoured vehicle

Origin of ratel

1
C18: from Afrikaans

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