Etymology Map
Back to all words

Genet

4 stages from Arabic to English.

Today it means a small, slender, nocturnal carnivore related to the civet, found in Africa and parts of Europe

Where does the word "genet" come from? It comes from Arabic jarnait, passing through Spanish and Old French before entering English (late 1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
jarnait
Arabic · medieval
"small civet-like animal"
named the small civet-like carnivore of North Africa
2
Stage 2 of 4
gineta
Spanish · 1200s
"genet"
adopted the animal's name during centuries of contact across the Strait of Gibraltar
3
Stage 3 of 4
genete
Old French · 1200s
"genet"
carried into French natural history vocabulary
4
Stage 4 of 4
genet
English · late 1400s
"small civet-like carnivore"
entered English describing the slender, spotted nocturnal carnivore
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom