Viverridae

plural noun

Vi·​ver·​ri·​dae
-rəˌdē
: a family of carnivorous mammals that are rarely larger than a domestic cat but are long, slender, and like a weasel in build with short more or less retractable claws and rounded feet, and include the civets, genets, linsangs, and in some classifications the mongooses

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Viverra, type genus + -idae

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Cite this Entry

“Viverridae.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Viverridae. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

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