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Glite Dictionary
striped skunk

striped skunk

5.1
A small black animal with white stripes that sprays a strong bad smell when scared
  • noun
  • /straɪpt skʌŋk/
  • US
translation icon : mofeta rayada
  • Many people are surprised to learn that the striped skunk is not aggressive and will usually run away if approached.
  • a striped skunk, a gray

Examples

  • While hiking in the forest, we spotted a striped skunk foraging for food near a fallen log.

  • Rabies was quiescent after this resurgence in 2004/2005 until fall 2008, when the disease was confirmed in several gray foxes and striped skunks (4).

    Academic text (2012)

  • The striped skunk is known for its bold black and white color pattern, making it easily recognizable in the wild.

Synonyms

Mephitis mephitis
vsstriped skunk
  • Specialized
8.6

A common North American skunk with black and white fur

is the everyday English name focusing on its black fur and white stripes

Surface Forms

striped skunk singular
striped skunks plural

Morphology

striped + skunk

The noun phrase is transparently compositional: 'striped' (having stripes) modifies 'skunk' (a black-and-white mammal that can spray), so the combined meaning is simply a skunk that has stripes. This adjective+noun pattern is a basic, cross-linguistically common construction that a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand.

Etymology

Striped skunk is a simple descriptive name based on the animal's look: a dark skunk with bold white stripes along its back that act like a warning sign before it sprays. So, the name means 'a skunk with white stripes'.