ichneumon
noun
ich·neu·mon ik-ˈnü-mən 
-ˈnyü-
1
: a mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) of Africa, southern Europe, and southwestern Asia
2
: ichneumon wasp
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin, from Greek ichneumōn, literally, tracker, from ichneuein to track, from ichnos footprint
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1