Ratel Definition

rätl, rātl
noun
A fierce badger (Mellivora capensis) of India and tropical Africa.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Ratel

Noun

Singular:
ratel
Plural:
ratels

Origin of Ratel

  • Afrikaans from Dutch ratel rattle (so called because of the animal's cry) (from Middle Dutch rātel, rātele) (Middle High German razela, rasela) (and Old English hrate, hratele a kind of plant with rattling seed capsules) or from dialectal Dutch ratel honeycomb (so called because of the animal's taste for honey) (akin to standard Dutch raat honeycomb) (Old High German rāza)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Ratel Sentence Examples

  • C. Jerdon states that the Indian ratel is found throughout the whole of India, from the extreme south to the foot of the Himalaya, chiefly in hilly districts, where it has greater facilities for constructing the holes and dens in which it lives; but also in the north of India in alluvial plains, where the banks of large rivers afford equally suitable localities wherein to make its lair.

  • In confinement the Indian ratel becomes tame and even playful, displaying a habit of tumbling head over heels.

  • It is said also to dig up the nests of wasps in order to eat the larvae, as the ratel - a closely allied South African form - is said to rob the bees of their honey.

  • Among animals peculiar to the forest regions are a tiger-cat about the size of a leopard, the honey badger or black Ituri ratel and the elephant shrew.

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Words Starting With

RRARAT

Words Ending With

LELTEL

Unscrambles

ratel

Words Starting With R and Ending With L

Starts With R & Ends With LStarts With RA & Ends With LStarts With R & Ends With EL

Word Length

5 Letter Words5 Letter Words Starting With R5 Letter Words Ending With L