different between donkey vs civet

English

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. Originally a slang term from the late eighteenth century. Perhaps from Middle English *donekie (“a miniature dun horse”), a double diminutive of Middle English don, dun, dunne (a name for a dun horse), equivalent to modern English dun (“brownish grey colour”) + -ock (diminutive suffix) + -ie (diminutive suffix). Compare Middle English donning (“a dun horse”), English dunnock.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d??ki/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d??ki/, /?d??ki/; (rare and nonstandard) /?d??ki/
• Rhymes: -??ki
• Hyphenation: don?key

Noun

donkey (plural donkeys)

1. A domestic animal, Equus asinus asinus, similar to a horse.
2. A stubborn person.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:stubborn person

3. A fool.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:fool

4. (nautical) A small auxiliary engine.

   Synonym: donkey engine

5. (naval slang, dated) A box or chest, especially a toolbox.
6. (poker slang) A bad poker player.

Hyponyms

• jack
• jackass
• jenny

Derived terms

Descendants

• ? Afrikaans: donkie
• ? Northern Sotho: tonki
• ? Tok Pisin: donki

Translations

See also

• ass
• mule
• hinny

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “donkey”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
• “donkey” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.

References

• (box or chest): 1930, Naval Review (London) (volume 18, page 592)

English

Alternative forms

• civet cat

Etymology

From French civette, from Italian zibetto, from Medieval Latin zibethum, from Arabic ??????? (zab?d).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?.v?t/

Noun

civet (countable and uncountable, plural civets)

1. (countable) A carnivorous catlike animal, Civettictis civetta, that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail.
2. (uncountable) The musky perfume produced by the animal.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 3 Scene 2

     LEONATO. Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard.

     DON PEDRO. Nay, a' rubs himself with civet: can you smell him out by that?

     CLAUDIO. That's as much as to say the sweet youth's in love.
3. Any animal in the family Viverridae or the similar family Nandiniidae
4. (countable, US) Any of several species of spotted skunk, in the genus Spilogale.

Derived terms

• palm civet

Translations

Anagrams

• evict

Dalmatian

Etymology

Compare Italian civetta, Romansch tschuetta, French chouette.

Noun

civet m

1. owl
2. burrowing owl

French

Etymology

cive +? -et

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.v?/

Noun

civet m (plural civets)

1. (cuisine) ragout of hare, rabbit or wild mammal, with red wine and onions, bound with the animal’s blood.

Further reading

• “civet” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).