civet
noun /ˈsɪvɪt/
/ˈsɪvɪt/
- [countable] a wild animal like a cat, found in central Africa and AsiaTopics Animalsc2
- [uncountable] a substance with a strong smell, obtained from a civet, and used in making perfume
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from French civette, from Italian zibetto, from medieval Latin zibethum, from Arabic zabād, denoting the perfume.