# civet

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsɪ.vɪt/ · frequency rank #82,179

## Definitions
1. Any of the small carnivorous catlike mammals encompassing certain species from the families Viverridae, Eupleridae, and Nandiniidae, native to tropical Africa and Asia.
2. The musky perfume produced by the animal; civetone.
3. A spotted skunk.
4. A ringtail (Bassariscus astutus).

## Etymology
From French civette, from Italian zibetto, from Medieval Latin zibethum, from Arabic زَبَاد (zabād).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/civet