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meerkat

meerkat

5 3.2
A small animal from southern Africa that lives in groups and stands upright to watch for danger
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪrˌkæt/
  • South African
: suricata
  • I recently watched "Meerkat Manor" and realized that those particular animals were more intelligent, moral, hygienic, composed, and sagacious than any member of this family.
  • meerkat pups
  • female meerkats
  • meerkat group

And then later on, there's this scene when they're reunited and and Timon, he's this meerkat and he's singing the song.

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Examples

  • Timon, the meerkat from the 1994 The Lion King film, tells this tale, following the plot of the movie closely.

    Blog text (7)
  • And larger groups of meerkats have better defense and offense.

  • My favorite animal is the meerkat.

  • There once was a meerkat who lived in the jungle.

  • We are watching Meerkat Manor tonight.

  • From meerkat to giraffe, big cats to exotic birds, the Miami Zoo provides a fun and educational adventure for the entire family.

    Blog text (11)
  • I play the voice of Timon, the meerkat who sings Hakuna Matata.

  • The meerkat is known for its social behavior and living in groups.

  • In their natural habitat, meerkats often stand upright to scan for predators.

  • Visitors to the zoo love watching the meerkats play and interact with each other.

Synonyms

suricate
vsmeerkat
  • South African
9.9

A small social animal from southern Africa called a meerkat that lives in burrows and stands on its hind legs

is the usual everyday name rather than this alternate label
Suricata tetradactyla
vsmeerkat
  • Specialized
9.5

A small social animal active in daytime that lives in burrows in southern Africa

focuses more on social life and slender pointed facial features
Suricata suricatta
vsmeerkat
  • Specialized
8.9

A small animal called a meerkat that lives in southern Africa

is the common everyday name rather than the formal scientific label
Suricata
vsmeerkat
  • Specialized
9.6

A small African mammal like a mongoose that includes the meerkat

is the specific species name rather than the broader genus category

Surface Forms

meerkat singular
meerkats plural

Etymology

Meerkat comes from the Dutch and Afrikaans words meer 'lake' and kat 'cat', so it literally meant 'lake cat' — a surprising name because meerkats are not cats and live in dry parts of Africa. That's why the name stuck even though a meerkat is a small, social mammal with a slender body and pointed face.