Mongoose
/ˈmɒŋ.ɡuːs/noun
A small to medium-sized carnivorous mammal of the family Herpestidae, famous for hunting snakes.
Did you know?English borrowed the word through colonial-era trade from South Asian languages, especially Marathi, while the mongoose’s legendary snake-fighting reputation helped make it globally famous.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval or earlier
Dravidian
*muṅgūsa / *muṅgisi
“A reconstructed South Indian name for the mongoose; the precise ultimate origin remains uncertain.”
Early Modern South Asia
Marathi
muṅgūs
“Mongoose.”
16th–17th Century
Portuguese
mangús
“Mongoose, borrowed from an Indian language during Portuguese trade and exploration.”
17th Century
English
mongoose / mungoose
“The animal, adopted from Portuguese and South Asian forms.”
Modern English
English
mongoose
“A carnivorous mammal known for agility and, in some species, resistance to snake venom.”