ICHNEUMON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ichneumon mean? 

• ICHNEUMON (noun)
  The noun ICHNEUMON has 1 sense:

1. northern African mongoose; in ancient times thought to devour crocodile eggs

  Familiarity information: ICHNEUMON used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ICHNEUMON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Northern African mongoose; in ancient times thought to devour crocodile eggs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Herpestes ichneumon; ichneumon

Hypernyms ("ichneumon" is a kind of...):

mongoose (agile grizzled Old World viverrine; preys on snakes and rodents)

 Context examples 

“Well, some call them that, and some call them ichneumon,” said the man.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)