genet
|gen-et|
/ˈdʒɛnɪt/
small, agile animal
Etymology
'genet' originates from French, specifically the word 'genet' (also found in Spanish as 'gineta' or 'geneta'), where the term referred to a small carnivorous mammal or the related name used in Romance languages.
'genet' changed from Spanish 'gineta' / 'geneta' and Old French 'genet'; these Romance-language forms are attested from the late medieval to early modern periods and were adopted into English in the 16th–17th centuries.
Initially, related Romance-language terms could refer to a small Spanish horse or a light horseman in some contexts, but in English usage the primary surviving meaning became the small viverrid mammal (the catlike genet).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small, cat-like nocturnal carnivorous mammal of the genus Genetta (family Viverridae), found in Africa and parts of Europe and Asia; noted for a long tail and spotted or banded coat.
A genet crept along the garden wall at dusk.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/17 09:56