ratel

American  

[rayt-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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ratel

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 Robert Armitage Sterndale

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 Harry Rountree

Later our ratel sallied forth to "face the world" again.

From The Way of the Wild by Harry Rountree

Next moment there was a thud—somewhat as if some one had punched a pillow—and the ratel was flying through the air, high and fine, in a graceful and generous curve.

From The Way of the Wild by Harry Rountree

The ratel never moved, although he was moved—astoundingly.

From The Way of the Wild by Harry Rountree

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