civet
1 synonym for civet, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A small, catlike, meat-eating mammal from tropical Africa or Asia.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
civet cat
How to use civet
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
civet cat
wild civet
civet perfume
civet musk
Neutral, with the perfume sense being more specialist.
Etymology
The word came into English from French civette, which came from Italian zibetto. That in turn goes back to Medieval Latin zibethum and Arabic zabād.
Full origin of civet →Frequently asked questions
What is a civet?
A civet is a small, catlike, carnivorous mammal found in tropical Africa and Asia.
What is civet used for in perfume?
Civet is the musky substance the animal produces, which has been used in perfume.
What is the plural of civet?
The plural is civets.
