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1
: any of various Old World carnivorous viverrid mammals with long bodies, short legs, and a usually long tail
2
: a thick yellowish musky-odored substance found in a sac near the anus of the civet (especially genera Civettictis, Viverra, and Viverricula) and used in perfume
Examples of civet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Animal excretions such as deer musk; castoreum, from beavers; and civet, from the perineal glands of a mammal of the same name, are no longer considered humane.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024
The olfactory journey spans five continents with scents both recognizable and obscure, like the musk secreted by the glands of the nocturnal civet.
—Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 July 2024
Its natural diet is mainly rodents, but larger snakes have been known to feed on pigs, civets, bearcats and even primates.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 8 June 2024
The trail is a palimpsest of their giant, pancake-round tracks and the lobed pads of hyenas or toes of civets.
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Middle French civette, from Old Italian zibetto, from Arabic zabād civet perfume
First Known Use
1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing civet
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Cite this Entry
“Civet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civet. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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More from Merriam-Webster on civet
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civet
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