Etymologically
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mongoose

Etymology and origin of the English word mongoose

History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈmɒŋ.ɡuːs/ (UK); /ˈmɑŋ.ɡus/, /ˈmʌŋ.ɡus/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is from Marathi mangūs,[2][3][4] perhaps via Portuguese,[4] probably ultimately of Dravidian origin.[2][4] Merriam-Webster traces it to Prakrit maṁgūsa.[5] The English form was altered by folk etymology.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first named the snake-killing ichneumon of India.[4][6]

Semantic evolution

The name was extended to other animals of the same family.[6][3] Another mongoose, for a species of lemur, may be a distinct word.[6]

Timeline

  • 1690s – first recorded;[4] Merriam-Webster and the OED date it 1698.[5][6]
  • 1758 – a species of lemur.[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Any of various slender, agile carnivorous mammals of Africa and Asia, noted for killing venomous snakes.

Word family

  • Egyptian mongoose

Usage notes

Merriam-Webster gives the plural as mongooses, also mongeese.[5]

References

  1. [1] Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. [1] [2] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. [1] [2] Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
  4. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. [1] [2] [3] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“mongoose.” Etymologically, 6 October 2026, https://etymologically.com/en/mongoose. Accessed 6 October 2026.

Last edited on .