Etymology

mongoose

M3O1N1G2O1O1S1E1

Today it means: Any of several species of generalist predatory carnivores in the family Herpestidae; the various species range in size from rats to large cats. Indian mongooses are predators of venomous snakes, though other mongoose species have similar habits. Full definition →

Portuguese manguço ← Marathi मुंगूस ← omr 𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭
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The story

  1. Proto-Dravidian · derived from*mūnkūc-“mongoose”
  2. omr · derived from𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭
  3. Marathi · derived fromमुंगूस
  4. Portuguese · borrowed frommanguço
  5. English todaymongoose

First attested in the 1690s. Borrowed from Portuguese manguço, from Marathi मुंगूस (muṅgūs), from Old Marathi 𑘦𑘳𑘽𑘐𑘳𑘭 (muṃgusa). Ultimately a Dravidian borrowing (compare Telugu ముంగిస (muṅgisa)), from Proto-Dravidian *mūnkūc- (“mongoose”). Spelling altered by folk-etymological association with goose. Displaced native Old English nǣderbita (literally “snake biter”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.