Where does “civet” come from?
Civet comes from French civette, from Italian zibetto, from Medieval Latin zibethus, from Arabic زَبَاد, a word for the aromatic substance secreted by the civet cat.
civet (English): A carnivorous catlike animal, Civettictis...
Definitions
- A carnivorous catlike animal, Civettictis...
Ancestry of “civet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | civette | civet |
| 2 | Italian | zibetto | civet; cat-like animal, feline |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | zibethus | civet |
| 4 | Arabic | زَبَاد | civet perfume |
Words derived from “civet”