Quoll

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkwɒl/

Definitions

1. A small carnivorous marsupial native to Australia and nearby regions, having a spotted coat and a long tail
2. A small, spot-patterned marsupial that hunts at night and resides in Australia and its surrounding areas
3. A nocturnal, carnivorous marsupial known for its distinctive spotted fur and long tail, typically found in Australia and surrounding islands

Etymology: The quoll's English name came from Joseph Banks, the naturalist who sailed with Captain Cook on the Endeavour. On 26 August 1770, he wrote in his journal that the animal was "calld by the natives Je-Quoll," describing it as roughly the size of a polecat, light brown and spotted with white. The name came from Guugu Yimidhirr, an Aboriginal language of north-eastern Queensland, where the animal was called "dhigul." Banks's spelling became "je-quoll," later shortened to "quoll." Despite Banks recording it, the name was then almost forgotten for about 150 years, and naturalists instead used the English descriptive phrase "native cat." The original term has since been readopted and is growing in popularity.