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bandicoot

a large ratlike rodent, or an Australian marsupial of similar appearance

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Where does the word "bandicoot" come from? It comes from Telugu pandi-kokku, and was adopted directly into English (1700s-1800s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "bandicoot" come from? It comes from Telugu pandi-kokku, and was adopted directly into English (1700s-1800s).

Bandicoot’s story begins in Telugu: pandi-kokku meant “pig-rat.” Literally "pig-rat", describing the large rodent. It reached English by 1700s-1800s as bandicoot. Telugu 'pig-rat'; British naturalists later gave the name to unrelated Australian marsupials. Today, bandicoot means a large ratlike rodent, or an Australian marsupial of similar appearance.

  1. Stage 1 · Telugu · medieval pandi-kokku "pig-rat", literally "pig-rat", describing the large rodent.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1700s-1800s bandicoot "a large rat-like marsupial or rodent", Telugu 'pig-rat'; British naturalists later gave the name to unrelated Australian marsupials.

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