mongoose

noun

mon·​goose ˈmän-ˌgüs  ˈmäŋ- 

plural mongooses also mongeese ˈmän-ˌgēs 

ˈmäŋ-

: any of numerous long slender carnivorous mammals (family Herpestidae) chiefly of Africa and southern Europe and Asia that are usually ferret-sized agile mammals typically with nonretractile sharp claws, short legs, long tail, and usually brownish or grayish fur sometimes with bands or stripes

Note: Mongooses feed chiefly on small animals (such as insects, earthworms, birds, snakes, and rodents) and are sometimes grouped with the viverrids in two subfamilies (Herpestinae and Galidiinae).

Illustration of mongoose

Examples of mongoose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The cooperation between the mongooses enables culture and teaching, but also incredible violence. —Big Think, 8 May 2026

One rabid mongoose bite later, and Ben is a skull-crushing, face-ripping menace terrorizing Lucy and her friends. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026

Barn owls and mongoose, other species that like to feed on terns, are rare in the urban core. —ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Mongoose The mongoose, the classic enemy of snakes, has nothing to do with geese. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Marathi mãgūs, from Prakrit maṁgūsa

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mongoose

noun

mon·​goose ˈmän-ˌgüs  ˈmäŋ- 

plural mongooses

: any of various quick-moving mammals with a long slender body and long tail that are about the size of a ferret and feed chiefly on small animals and fruit