civet
/ˈsɪvɪt/noun
(亦作civet cat)
1
- a slender nocturnal carnivorous mammal with a barred and spotted coat and well-developed anal scent glands, native to Africa and Asia香猫, 麝猫, 灵猫。
1.1
- Family Viverridae (the civet family): several genera and species, in particular the African civet (Viverra civetta). The civet family also includes the genets, linsang, and fossa, and formerly included the mongooses.灵猫科, 数属, 数种, 尤指非洲灵猫（拉丁名Viverra civetta）。灵猫科亦包括麝（香）猫, 林狸, 马岛獴, 原也包括獴。
1.2
- mass noun a strong musky perfume obtained from the secretions of these scent glands香猫香, 麝猫香。
2
- US the ring-tailed cat or cacomistle〈美〉蓬尾浣熊; 环尾猫熊。
2.1
civet cat
mass noun an American commercial term for the fur of the ring-tailed cat灵猫蓬尾浣熊皮的美国商用名称。
词源
mid 16th cent.: from French civette, from Italian zibetto, from medieval Latin zibethum, from Arabic zabād, denoting the perfume.