Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
civet, civet cat
(noun) cat-like mammal typically secreting musk used in perfumes
Source: WordNet® 3.1
civet (countable and uncountable, plural civets)
(countable) A carnivorous catlike animal, Civettictis civetta, that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail.
(uncountable) The musky perfume produced by the animal.
Any animal in the family Viverridae or the similar family Nandiniidae
(countable, US) Any of several species of spotted skunk, in the genus Spilogale.
• evict
Source: Wiktionary
Civ"et, n. Etym: [F. civette (cf. It. zibetto) civet, civet cat, fr. LGr. zub, zab, civet.]
1. A substance, of the consistence of butter or honey, taken from glands in the anal pouch of the civet (Viverra civetta). It is of clear yellowish or brownish color, of a strong, musky odor, offensive when undiluted, but agreeble when a small portion is mixed with another substance. It is used as a perfume.
2. (Zoöl)
Definition: The animal that produces civet (Viverra civetta); -- called also civet cat. It is carnivorous, from two to three feet long, and of a brownish gray color, with transverse black bands and spots on the body and tail. It is a native of northern Africa and of Asia. The name is also applied to other species.
Civ"et, v. t.
Definition: To scent or perfume with civet. Cowper
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
22 February 2025
(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ‘the father of the bride’ instead of ‘the bride’s father’
Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.