meerkat
UK[ˈmɪəkat]US[ˈmɪrkat]
n
A small, social, burrowing mongoose with grey fur, a pointed face, and a long tail, native to southern Africa, known for standing upright on its hind legs to watch for danger.
Etymology
The word 'meerkat' entered English in the early 19th century from Afrikaans, the language of Dutch settlers in South Africa. The Afrikaans term 'meerkat' is a compound from Dutch, where 'meer' means "sea" and 'kat' means "cat," but this is a folk-etymological alteration. It originally referred to a type of monkey, likely the guenon, which European traders encountered on the coast. The name was later misapplied by Dutch colonists in South Africa to the small, upright-standing mongoose, and this transferred meaning is the one English adopted. Thus, the term's literal "sea-cat" meaning is disconnected from the animal's biology, reflecting a historical case of mistaken identity and semantic shift.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword from Afrikaans, where it is a compound. Its spelling and form are borrowed as a single unit into English, making internal segmentation for English morphemes inappropriate.
Examples
A sentry meerkat stood guard while the rest of the mob foraged for insects.
The documentary highlighted the complex social structure of the meerkat colony.
We watched the playful meerkats pop in and out of their burrow.