mongoose
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mongoose
- /ˈmɒŋ.ɡuːs/ UK
- /ˈmɑŋ.ɡus/ US
- /ˈmʌŋ.ɡus/ US
- /ˈmɔŋ.ɡʉːs/ Australia
- /mɐŋˈɡuːs/ South Asia
Rhymes with -ɒŋɡuːs, -ɑŋɡus, -ʌŋɡus
Where it comes from
First attested in the 1690s. Borrowed from Portuguese manguço, from Marathi मुंगूस (muṅgūs), from Old Marathi 𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭 (muṃgusa). Ultimately a Dravidian borrowing (compare Telugu ముంగిస (muṅgisa)), from Proto-Dravidian *mūnkūc- (“mongoose”). Spelling altered by folk-etymological association with goose. Displaced native Old English nǣderbita (literally “snake biter”).
noun mongooses · mongeese · mungoose
-
Any of several species of generalist predatory carnivores in the family Herpestidae; the various species range in size from rats to large cats. Indian mongooses are predators of venomous snakes, though other mongoose species have similar habits.
After the mongoose had satisfied its appetite, we proceeded to examine with a pocket lens the wounds he had received from the cobra; and on cleansing one of these places, the lens disclosed the broken fang of the cobra deeply imbedded in the head of the mongoose... We have had the mongoose confined
Similar: herpestid
- Any members of family Eupleridae of Malagasy mongooses, only distantly related to the Herpestidae, but resembling them in appearance and habits, with larger ears and ringed tails.
Translations
Every language
noun small carnivore of the family Herpestidae
| Español | mangosta |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 몽구스 mongguseu |
| 日本語 | マングース mangūsu, 猫鼬 nekoitachi |
| 中文 | 獴 měng, 貓鼬 /猫鼬 māoyòu |
| हिन्दी | नेवला nevlā |
| Kiswahili | nguchiro |
| Português | manguço |
| Français | mangouste |
| Deutsch | Manguste, Mungo |
| Italiano | mangusta |
| Ελληνικά | μαγκούστα magkoústa |
| Română | mangustă |
| Русский | мангу́ст mangúst |
| Tiếng Việt | (cầy) mangut |
| العربية | نِمْس nims |
| עברית | נְמִיָּה nemiyá |
Talk about this word "mongoose." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/mongoose. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. mongoose. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/mongoose "mongoose." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/mongoose.Cite this
@misc{mongoose_2026,
title = {mongoose},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/mongoose},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
