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My Merriam-Webster gives the etymology thusly:
Afrikaans, from Dutch, a kind of monkey, from Middle Dutch meercatte monkey, from meer sea + catte cat
Date:1801
Which suggests that the phrase "sea cat" meant "monkey" in Middle Dutch, so the little critters now called meercats were so named not because they resembled the sea, or cats, but because they reminded someone, presumably someone who spoke Middle Dutch, of monkeys. That's a resemblance I can get, but I don't get why "seacat" should mean "monkey"
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted meerkat/etymology? Wordwind 02/18/03 12:48 AM Re: meerkat/etymology? sjm 02/18/03 01:02 AM Re: meerkat/etymology? wwh 02/18/03 01:54 AM Re: meerkat/etymology? Buffalo Shrdlu 02/18/03 10:30 AM Re: meerkat/etymology? Wordwind 02/18/03 10:51 AM Re: meerkat/etymology? dxb 02/18/03 04:39 PM Re: meerkat/etymology? wwh 02/18/03 06:07 PM Re: meerkat/etymology? dxb 02/18/03 06:31 PM Re: meerkat/etymology? sjm 02/18/03 06:55 PM Re: meerkat/etymology? Faldage 02/18/03 07:31 PM Re: meerkat/etymology? dxb 02/19/03 09:20 AM Re: meerkat/etymology? Wordwind 02/19/03 10:15 AM
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