Where does “mongoose” come from?
Mongoose comes from Portuguese mangusto, from Marathi मुंगूस, from Old Marathi 𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭.
mongoose (English): Any of several species of generalist predatory...
Definitions
- Any of several species of generalist predatory...
Ancestry of “mongoose”, step by step
mongoose traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Portuguese mangus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | mangus | — |
| 2 | Marathi | मुंगूस | mongoose |
| 3 | Old Marathi | 𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭 | — |
| 4 | Telugu | ముంగిస | The ichneumon or mongoose, Viverra ichneumon |
| 5 | Proto-Dravidian | *mūnkūc- | mongoose |
via Portuguese manguço
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | manguço | mongoose |