ratel
[reyt-l, raht-l]
- a badgerlike carnivore, Mellivora capensis, of Africa and India.
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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
Also called honey badger.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for ratel
Historical Examples of ratel
But if the ratel is odd in appearance, it is odder still in habits.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural HistoryTheodore Wood
It is greyish yellow above and blackish beneath, presenting, as has been remarked, a curious similarity to the Ratel.
The Cambridge Natural History, Vol X., MammaliaFrank Evers Beddard
More curious still is the ratel, which belongs to the family of badgers.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural HistoryTheodore Wood
I have already alluded to the Cape ratel doing this on the look-out for bees.
Natural History of the Mammalia of India and CeylonRobert A. Sterndale
So it seems quite certain that a ratel never gets stung, no matter how many nests he may rob.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural HistoryTheodore Wood
ratel
- 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
- Southern African a six-wheeled armoured vehicle
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Word Origin for ratel
C18: from Afrikaans
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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