Bobcat

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbɒb.kæt/

Definitions

1. A small wild feline native to North America with a spotted coat, tufted ears, and a short tail, known for hunting small mammals and birds
2. A medium-sized wild cat found primarily in North America, characterized by its recognizable short tail, tufted ears, and spotted fur, which preys on various small animals and birds
3. This feline species, native to North America, is distinguished by its short tail and spotted coat, primarily hunting small mammals and birds in its habitat

Etymology: The name is a plain compound: "bob" meaning a short, cropped thing, here the animal's stubby tail, joined to "cat." The "bob" in this sense goes back to the practice of docking or cutting tails short, and the same root gives us bobtailed horses and bobbed hair. The more surprising part of the story is that the word is now partly a brand name. Bobcat is a trademark for a line of compact loaders and other small construction machinery, and over time the trademark became so familiar that it spread into general use. Its use for the animal is therefore a case of genericization, where a company's name drifts into being the ordinary word for a thing. The animal's name did not come from the machine; the machine was named after the animal's short tail, and then the trademark gave the animal's name a second, commercial life.

Synonyms: wildcat, feline