Nearby Words

serval

[sur-vuhl]

ser·val

[sur-vuhl]
noun, plural -vals, (especially collectively) -val.
a long-limbed, nocturnal African cat, Felis serval, about the size of a bobcat, having a tawny coat spotted with black: now rare in many former habitats.

Origin:
1765–75; < Neo-Latin < Portuguese (lobo) cerval lynx, literally, staglike (wolf) < Late Latin cervālis deerlike, equivalent to Latin cerv(us) stag + -ālis -al1
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Serval is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Collins
World English Dictionary
serval (ˈsɜːvəl)
 
n , pl -vals, -val
a slender feline mammal, Felis serval, of the African bush, having an orange-brown coat with black spots, large ears, and long legs
 
[C18: via French from Late Latin cervālis staglike, from Latin cervus a stag]

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