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Glite Dictionary
bear cat

bear cat

9.9
A large reddish-brown mammal like a raccoon that lives in trees in Southeast Asia
  • noun
  • /bɛr kæt/
translation icon : binturong
  • The bear cat is often spotted lounging on branches, where it spends most of its day resting.

Examples

  • Bo Diddley caught him a bear cat

    Fritz the Cat (1972)

  • The binturong, commonly known as the bear cat, has a distinctive smell similar to buttered popcorn.

  • In the lush jungles of Southeast Asia, the bear cat is known for its climbing abilities and nocturnal habits.

Synonyms

bearcat
vsbear cat
4 9.9

An animal from Southeast Asia with shaggy black fur and a long tail that can hold branches

is reddish brown in colour and resembles a raccoon

Surface Forms

bear cat singular
bear cats plural

Morphology

bear + cat

The compound 'bear cat' is directly compositional: a learner who knows 'bear' and 'cat' can infer it refers to an animal with bear-like and cat-like features, so the basic referent is clear. While the precise species name (binturong) and detailed traits are not predictable from the words alone, the overall meaning as an animal combining those characteristics is transparent.

Etymology

Bear cat may come from how the animal looks. With its thick, reddish-brown fur and heavy body like a bear but a face and whiskers like a cat, people thought it looked like both animals. That's why bear cat came to be used for the Southeast Asian animal called the 'binturong'.