ichneumon

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun northern African mongoose; in ancient times thought to devour crocodile eggs

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin ichneumōn, from Ancient Greek ἰχνεύμων (ikhneúmōn, “tracker”), from ἴχνος (íkhnos, “track, footstep”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

Herpestes ichneumon

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