1. A small carnivorous mammal of Africa and southern Europe, resembling a cat, with a spotted coat and a long ringed tail.
Usage: Also called a genet; genette is the French spelling sometimes used in English.

Examples

• The genette is a nocturnal hunter that feeds on small rodents and insects.
• Genettes are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and in parts of southern Europe.
• The spotted coat of a genette provides excellent camouflage in the forest.
• A genette's long tail helps it balance while climbing trees at night.