civet

Alternative forms

• civet cat

Etymology

From French civette, from Italian zibetto, from Arabic زَبَاد‎ (zabād).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪ.vɪt/

Noun

civet (countable and uncountable, plural civets)

1. (countable) A carnivorous catlike animal, Civettictis civetta, that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail.
2. (uncountable) The musky perfume produced by the animal.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 3 Scene 2

     LEONATO. Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard.

     DON PEDRO. Nay, a' rubs himself with civet: can you smell him out by that?

     CLAUDIO. That's as much as to say the sweet youth's in love.

3. Any animal in the family Viverridae or the similar family Nandiniidae
4. (countable, US) Any of several species of spotted skunk, in the genus Spilogale.

Anagrams

• evict

Etymology

Compare Italian civetta, Romansch tschuetta, French chouette.

Noun

civet m

1. owl
2. burrowing owl

Etymology

cive +‎ -et

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.vɛ/

Noun

civet m (plural civets)

1. (cuisine) ragout of hare, rabbit or wild mammal, with red wine and onions, bound with the animal’s blood.

Further reading

• “civet” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).