Quati

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A raccoon-like mammal of the Americas with a long flexible snout, a ringed tail and a habit of foraging in groups
2. A small omnivorous animal related to the raccoon, found in forests from the southern United States to South America
3. The coati, a tree-dwelling relative of the raccoon with a long nose and an upright tail, native to Central and South America

Etymology: "Quati" is an older spelling of "coati," the raccoon-like mammal of the Americas with a long, flexible snout and a ringed tail. The name comes from Tupi-Guarani languages of South America, spoken by the peoples whom European travelers first described. Its exact meaning is uncertain. Some sources connect the first part of the name to a word for "belt," a reference to the tail's bands, while others link it to "nose." Either way, the name reached European languages through the reports of explorers and naturalists. The longer form, "coatimundi," is a Portuguese-influenced variant that likely adds a second element, "mondé," from the same language family. Some accounts gloss it as "solitary," which would fit the animal's habit of males living alone while females and young travel in groups. That gloss is not firmly established, so it is best held loosely.

Synonyms: coati, coatimundi