bobcat

bob·cat

noun \ˈbäb-ˌkat\

: a kind of large wild cat that has a short tail and that lives in North America

Full Definition of BOBCAT

:  a common North American lynx (Lynx rufus) reddish in base color with dark markings

Illustration of BOBCAT

Origin of BOBCAT

⁴bob; from the stubby tail

First Known Use: 1864

Rhymes with BOBCAT

all that, at bat, at that, backchat, bath mat, brass hat, brickbat, brown fat, brown rat, bullbat, Cassatt, chitchat, combat, coon cat, cowpat, cravat, Croat, deep fat, defat, dingbat, doormat, expat, fat cat, fiat, firebrat, flat-hat, fly at, format, fruit bat, get at, go at, have at, hellcat, hepcat, high-hat, house cat, jurat, keep at, leaf fat, look at, Manx cat, MCAT, meerkat, milk fat, mole rat, mudflat, muscat, Muscat, muskrat, nonfat, old hat, pack rat, pick at, place mat, plug hat, polecat, pot hat, Rotblat, rug rat, salt flat, savate, silk hat, slouch hat, sneeze at, snowcat, Sobat, stand pat, standpat, stonechat, strawhat, Surat, thereat, tin hat, tipcat, tomcat, top hat, trans fat, whereat, whinchat, white hat, wildcat, wombat, wool fat

bobcat

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Bobcat (Lynx rufus).—Joe Van Wormer/Photo Researchers

Bobtailed, long-legged North American cat (Lynx rufus) found in forests and deserts from southern Canada to southern Mexico. It is a close relative of the lynx and caracal. Bobcats have large paws and tufted ears; are 24–40 in. (60–100 cm) long, excluding the 4–8-in. (10–20-cm) tail; stand 20–24 in. (50–60 cm) at the shoulder; and weigh 15–33 lb (7–15 kg). The fur is pale brown to reddish with black spots. Bobcats are nocturnal and generally solitary. They feed on small mammals and some birds and are important for controlling rodent and rabbit populations. They are sometimes found in suburban areas.