ratel

American  

[reyt-l, raht-l] / ˈreɪt l, ˈrɑt l /

noun

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

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ratel British  

/ 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. a six-wheeled armoured vehicle

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Etymology

Origin of ratel

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

Example Sentences

She went there a great deal to study the animals, and was particularly fond of the "poor dear ratel" that used to turn somersaults.

From Mathilde Blind by Eliot, George

The ratel moved to meet him—to meet him—and at a cool jog-trot!

From The Way of the Wild by Rountree, Harry

The ratel did not leave go for some little time.

From The Way of the Wild by Rountree, Harry

I have already alluded to the Cape ratel doing this on the look-out for bees.

From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon by Sterndale, Robert Armitage

The result was rather curious—it was also the ratel, or honey-badger, who had nothing at all to do with rats, but everything to do with honey, and was self-evidently more than three-parts badger.

From The Way of the Wild by Rountree, Harry