bandicoot
/ˈbandɪkuːt
/noun
1A mainly insectivorous marsupial native to Australia and New Guinea.
- Family Peramelidae: several genera and species. See also rabbit-eared bandicoot.
- As Gondwana broke up, the link was broken, and the Australasian marsupials evolved in isolation, giving rise to the modern groups of koalas, bandicoots, wombats, and kangaroos.
- This marsupial family includes 4 genera and 10 species of bandicoots and bilbies.
1.1Indian A bandicoot rat.This order of marsupials includes 2 families, the Peramelidae (bandicoots and bilbies) and Peroryctidae (spiny bandicoots, mouse bandicoot)....
- There were mongoose, snakes and bandicoots (large rats).
- Unfortunately, the only drawing he could obtain was of a specimen that had lost its tail, and his Aboriginal helpers brought him any number of common bandicoots with their tails removed.
Origin
Late 18th century: from Telugu pandikokku, literally 'pig-rat'.