/ ˈsɪvɪt; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C ] a wild animal like a cat, that lives in central Africa and S Asia
2.
[ U ] a substance with a strong smell, obtained from a civet, and used in making perfume
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from French civette , from Italian zibetto , from medieval Latin zibethum , from Arabic zabād , denoting the perfume.