FluentPlex

mongoose

/ˈmɑŋ.ɡus/ noun C2
  1. Any of several species of generalist predatory carnivores in the family Herpestidae; the various species range in size from rats to large cats. Indian mongooses are predators of venomous snakes, though other mongoose species have similar habits.
  2. Any members of family Eupleridae of Malagasy mongooses, only distantly related to the Herpestidae, but resembling them in appearance and habits, with larger ears and ringed tails.

Plural mongooses

+ Save to review

From the library

He was a mongoose, rather like a little cat in his fur and his tail, but quite like a weasel in his head and his habits.
The Jungle Book, p. 64 · B2
When he revived, he was lying in the hot sun on the middle of a garden path, very draggled indeed, and a small boy was saying, “Here’s a dead mongoose.
The Jungle Book, p. 64 · B2
It is the hardest thing in the world to frighten a mongoose, because he is eaten up from nose to tail with curiosity.
The Jungle Book, p. 65 · B2
The motto of all the mongoose family is “Run and find out,” and Rikki-tikki was a true mongoose.
The Jungle Book, p. 65 · B2

Learn mongoose in real texts

With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.

Create free account
Words, meanings, pronunciations and translations from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); how common each word is from wordfreq. Made into this dictionary by FluentPlex.