mongoose

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mon·goose / ˈmänˌgoōs; ˈmäng-/ • n. (pl. mongooses / ˈmängˌgoōsəz/ ) a small carnivorous mammal (Herpestes, Mungos, and other genera) of the civet family, with a long body and tail and a grizzled or banded coat, native to Africa and Asia. Its many species include the banded mongoose (M. mungo).

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