Meercats

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small, social mammal native to southern Africa, known for its distinctive upright posture when standing and its cooperative behavior in groups
2. A member of the mongoose family, recognized for living in colonies and displaying vigilance against predators while foraging for insects and plants
3. A diurnal herbivore primarily inhabiting arid regions, celebrated for its complex social structure and remarkable communal care of young offspring

Etymology: The plural "meercats" is simply the regular plural of "meercat," so the story belongs to the singular noun. "Meercat" is a compound of "meer," a word borrowed from Dutch, and "cat," which needs no introduction. The first element "meer" refers to a kind of animal, and the compound describes a small, slender mammal of the mongoose family found in southern Africa. Because the form is a plural, its history is that of the singular. The compound combines a Dutch-derived word with the common English noun for a feline, a pairing that makes the animal sound like a cat even though it is not one.

Synonyms: suricates, mongoose