civet (redirected from African civets)

civ·et  (svt)

n.

1. Any of various carnivorous catlike mammals of the family Viverridae of Africa and Asia, having anal scent glands that secrete a fluid with a musky odor. Also called civet cat.

2. The thick yellowish musky fluid secreted by one of these mammals, used in the manufacture of perfumes.

3. The fur of one of these mammals.

---

[French civette, from Old French, from Catalan civetta, from Medieval Latin zibethus, from Arabic zabd, civet perfume.]

---

civet [siv-vit]

Noun

1. a spotted catlike mammal of Africa and S Asia

2. the musky fluid produced by this animal, used in perfumes [Arabic zabād civet perfume]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

civet - cat-like mammal typically secreting musk used in perfumes civet cat family Viverridae, family Viverrinae, Viverridae, Viverrinae - genets; civets; mongooses viverrine, viverrine mammal - small cat-like predatory mammals of warmer parts of the Old World large civet, Viverra zibetha - common civet of India and southeast Asia small civet, Viverricula indica, Viverricula malaccensis - a common civet of southeast Asia Arctictis bintourong, bearcat, binturong - arboreal civet of Asia having a long prehensile tail and shaggy black hair Cryptoprocta, genus Cryptoprocta - large primitive cat-like carnivores inhabiting forests of Madagascar fanaloka, Fossa fossa - civet of Madagascar banded palm civet, Hemigalus hardwickii - an East Indian civet palm cat, palm civet - spotted or striped arboreal civet of southeast Asia and East Indies