cat bear

8.4

A small reddish-brown animal like a raccoon that lives in the eastern Himalayas and eats bamboo

noun

: panda rojo

In the wild, the cat bear spends much of its time climbing trees and eating bamboo.

Examples

The cat bear is known for its striking reddish fur and bushy tail.
Although called a cat bear, this animal is more closely related to raccoons than to bears.
The cat bear is known for its playful nature.
Many people love the cat bear for its unique appearance.
The cat bear is a fascinating creature that inhabits the forests of the eastern Himalayas.
A cat bear often forages for fruits and bamboo among the trees for its diet.
With its distinctive reddish-brown coat, the cat bear captures the attention of animal lovers everywhere.

Synonyms

panda

vscat bear

8 1.0

A small reddish-brown animal like a raccoon that lives in trees

is a different alternative name that avoids confusion with the larger unrelated species

red panda

vscat bear

Indian

1 3.7

A small animal with red-brown fur that lives in trees and eats bamboo

is the alternative name used for that same animal

Ailurus fulgens

vscat bear

Specialized

9.2

A small reddish-brown mammal that lives in the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China

is a common alternative name rather than the formal scientific term

lesser panda

vscat bear

Indian

6.2

A small reddish-brown animal like a raccoon that lives in trees in Asia

is a modern alternative name used instead of that traditional label

Firefox

vscat bear

7.9

A small animal with reddish-brown fur that lives in trees in the Himalayas

is the formal alternative name rather than a playful nickname

Surface Forms

cat bear singular

cat bears plural

Morphology

cat + bear

The compound 'cat bear' transparently signals an animal combining feline and ursine qualities, so a B1 learner who knows 'cat' and 'bear' can infer it refers to a kind of animal with cat- and bear-like features. However, identifying the precise referent (the red panda) is not fully predictable without exposure to that specific name, making the expression only partially compositional.

Etymology

Cat bear is a name that comes from the animal's look: people thought it had a small face and quick feet like a cat but a round, furry body like a bear. So the simple picture of 'cat' + 'bear' stuck, and today cat bear is another name for the 'red panda'.