civet

noun

civ·​et ˈsi-vət 

1

: any of various Old World carnivorous viverrid mammals with long bodies, short legs, and a usually long tail

2

: a thick yellowish musky-odored substance found in a sac near the anus of the civet (especially genera Civettictis, Viverra, and Viverricula) and used in perfume

Illustration of civet

• civet 1

Examples of civet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The olfactory journey spans five continents with scents both recognizable and obscure, like the musk secreted by the glands of the nocturnal civet. —Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 July 2024

Its natural diet is mainly rodents, but larger snakes have been known to feed on pigs, civets, bearcats and even primates. —Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 8 June 2024

The trail is a palimpsest of their giant, pancake-round tracks and the lobed pads of hyenas or toes of civets. —Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024

But the spotted hyena is related to cats, civets, and mongooses, an entirely different branch of the carnivore family tree. —Robert Baker, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle French civette, from Old Italian zibetto, from Arabic zabād civet perfume

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing civet

• civet cat

Kids Definition

civet

noun

civ·​et ˈsiv-ət 

1

: a thick yellowish strong-smelling substance obtained from the civet cat and used in perfume

2

: civet cat

Medical Definition

civet

noun

civ·​et ˈsiv-ət 

1

: civet cat

2

: a thick yellowish musky-odored substance found in a pouch near the sexual organs of the civet cat and used in perfume