ringtail

R1I1N1G2T1A1I1L1

noun

A North American ringtail, Bassariscus astutus

Similar
miner's catraccoon foxcivet catring-tailed catring-tailed civet catbassariskcacomistlecacomixle
OriginEnglish tail ← Middle English tayl ← Old English tæġl →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

nounringtail (plural ringtail or ringtails)

plural ringtails · alternative ring-tail

  1. A ring-tailed animal, notably:
    1. A North American ringtail, Bassariscus astutus

      Synonyms: miner's cat, raccoon fox, civet cat, miner's cat, raccoon fox, ring-tailed cat, ring-tailed civet cat

    2. A cacomistle, Bassariscus sumichrasti
    3. A capuchin monkey (Cebus spp.)
    4. A ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)
    5. A raccoon (Procyon spp, especially Procyon lotor)
    6. A ringtail possum (family Pseudocheiridae)
    7. Any of various damselflies of the genus Austrolestes, of Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific islands
  2. nauticalA ringsail.
  3. AustraliaslangA ring-in.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA North American ringtail, Bassariscus astutus

Similar
miner's catraccoon foxcivet catminer's catraccoon foxring-tailed catring-tailed civet cat

More synonyms by meaning

nounraccoon-like omnivorous mammal of Mexico and the southwestern United States having a long bushy tail with black and white rings

Similar
bassariskcacomistlecacomixlecoon catraccoon foxring-tailed catcivet catminer's catBassariscus astutus
Broader
procyonid

nounNorth American raccoon

Similar
common raccooncommon racooncoonProcyon lotor
Broader
raccoonracoon

nounmonkey of Central America and South America having thick hair on the head that resembles a monk's cowl

Similar
capuchinCebus capucinus
Broader
New World monkeyplatyrrhineplatyrrhinian
Also see
bassariskcacomistlecapuchincivet catcooncoon catminer's catnorth american ringtailraccoon foxringsailringtail catringtail civetring-tailed catring-tailed civet cat

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)krengʰ-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*(s)krengʰos
  4. Proto-Germanic*hringaz
  5. Proto-West Germanic*hring
  6. Old Englishhring
  7. Middle Englishryng
  8. Englishring
  9. Proto-Germanic*taglą
  10. Proto-West Germanic*tagl
  11. Old Englishtæġl
  12. Middle Englishtayl
  13. Englishtail
  14. Englishringtail

From ring + tail.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch noord-Amerikaanse katfret
  • noord-Amerikaanse katfretBassariscus astutus
Esperanto ringovosta basarisko
  • ringovosta basariskoBassariscus astutus
Finnish kakomisti
  • kakomistiBassariscus astutus
French bassaris rusé
  • bassaris ruséBassariscus astutus
German nordamerikanische Katzenfrett
  • nordamerikanische KatzenfrettBassariscus astutus
Japanese カコミスル
  • カコミスル (kakomisuru)Bassariscus astutus
Polish szopik pręgoogonowy, kotofretka
  • szopik pręgoogonowyBassariscus astutus
  • kotofretkaBassariscus astutus
  • norka kalifornijskaBassariscus astutus
Portuguese bassarisco
  • bassariscoBassariscus astutus
Russian какоми́цли
  • какоми́цли (kakomícli)Bassariscus astutus
Spanish cacomixtle norteño
  • cacomixtle norteñoBassariscus astutus

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

trailingtrialingTringaliantigirl
Cite this entry
APA

ringtail. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ringtail

MLA

“ringtail.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ringtail. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ringtail,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ringtail.

Source: ringtail on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.