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Glite Dictionary
leopard cat

leopard cat

7.4
A small wild cat from Southeast Asia with spots like a leopard
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛpərd kæt/
  • Indian
translation icon : gato leopardo
  • In the dense jungles of Malaysia, the leopard cat prowls stealthily, hunting for small prey.
  • the Asian leopard cat

Examples

  • "Another advertisement from a breeder in Oregon offers a "Barbary lion and caracal kittens;" a third, in California, is selling a "rare Asian leopard cat female, nine weeks old, bottle raised."

    Academic text (2008)

  • That would be your bats, your leopard cats, your mole rats.

    Bait (2000)

  • The leopard cat is known for its striking spotted coat that helps it blend into the forest environment.

  • Wildlife enthusiasts often travel to Asia to observe the elusive leopard cat in its natural habitat.

Synonyms

Felis bengalensis
vsleopard cat
  • Specialized
9.6

A small wild cat from South and Southeast Asia with spotted fur

is the common everyday name used instead of the Latin scientific form

Surface Forms

leopard cat singular
leopard cats plural

Morphology

leopard + cat

The meaning 'a small wildcat with a spotted coat resembling that of a leopard' is directly derivable from combining 'leopard' (a spotted big cat) and 'cat' (a feline); a learner who knows both constituents will readily infer it denotes a cat like a leopard. This noun‑noun descriptive compound follows a common cross-linguistic pattern, so it is immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Leopard cat comes from how the animal looks: a small wild cat with dark spots like a leopard. That's why the name refers to a small spotted wildcat found in parts of Asia.