jungle cat
3
6.7
- noun
- /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl kæt/
- Indian
:
gato de la jungla
- In the dense grasslands of Asia, the jungle cat stalks its prey with great stealth.
Examples
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The jungle cat is often found in wetlands, where it hunts for fish and small rodents.
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There were statues of fierce jungle cats strewn about the wild edges of the yard, peering out of the heavier brush.
Fiction book (2002) -
I bet the lost city of Parapata has golden statues of jungle cats.
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On hands and knees for field mouse and badger, raccoon or jungle cat.
Fiction book (1995) -
Farther down toward my stomach, I found something a little lighter: a jungle cat, the same as that, likes to chat, wears no hat, drives, runs along, mating song.
Fiction book (1995) -
Anthony's just finishing a drawing of a leaping jungle cat in black and red ink on Bob's shoulder.
Fiction book (1996) -
With the cool agility of a jungle cat, our heroic moose grabbed the corners of the e-mail envelope... and hung on for the ride of his life.
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Wildlife enthusiasts are excited to observe a jungle cat in its natural habitat.
Synonyms
A small wildcat from Asia with a yellow-grey or red-brown coat
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a cat associated with the jungle' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'jungle' (a forest region) with 'cat' (a feline), so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer it refers to a wild cat living in jungle-like habitats. This compositional noun-noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows regular English compounding, making the MWE immediately comprehensible.
Etymology
Jungle cat comes from the simple image of a cat living in the jungle or in tall wet grass by rivers and ponds. So the name refers to a 'wild' medium-sized cat that lives in those wet grass and river areas.