cacomistle

[ kak-uh-mis-uhl ]

noun

1. Also cac·o·mix·le [] Also called bassarisk, ringtail, coon cat. a carnivorous animal, Bassariscus astutus, of Mexico and the southwestern U.S., related to the raccoon but smaller, with a sharper snout and longer tail.
2. civet cat.

cacomistle

/ ˈkækəˌmɪsəl; ˈkækəˌmɪksəl /

noun

1. a catlike omnivorous mammal, Bassariscus astutus, of S North America, related to but smaller than the raccoons: family Procyonidae, order Carnivora (carnivores). It has yellowish-grey fur and a long bushy tail banded in black and white
2. a related smaller animal, Jentinkia (or Bassariscus ) sumichrasti, of Central America

Word History and Origins

Origin of cacomistle¹

1865–70, Americanism; < Mexican Spanish cacomiztle, cacomixtle < Nahuatl tlahcomiztli, equivalent to tlahco- half, middle + miztli cougar

Word History and Origins

Origin of cacomistle¹

C19: from Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl tlacomiztli, from tlaco half + miztli cougar

Example Sentences

Sometimes a stuffed recamúchi (cacomistle, bassariscus) is used either in the place of a straw-man or in addition to it.

From Project Gutenberg