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Webster 1913 Edition
Skunk
Skunk
,Noun.
[Contr. from the Abenaki (American Indian)
seganku
.] (Zool.)
Any one of several species of American musteline carnivores of the genus
Mephitis
and allied genera. They have two glands near the anus, secreting an extremely fetid liquid, which the animal ejects at pleasure as a means of defense. ☞ The common species of the Eastern United States (
Mephitis mephitica
) is black with more or less white on the body and tail. The spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius
), native of the Southwestern United States and Mexico, is smaller than the common skunk, and is variously marked with black and white. Skunk bird
,
Skunk blackbird
(Zool.)
, the bobolink; – so called because the male, in the breeding season, is black and white, like a skunk.
– Skunk cabbage
(Bot.)
, an American aroid herb (
– Symplocarpus fœtidus
) having a reddish hornlike spathe in earliest spring, followed by a cluster of large cabbagelike leaves. It exhales a disagreeable odor. Also called swamp cabbage
. Skunk porpoise
. (Zool.)
See under
Porpoise
.Skunk
,Verb.
T.
In games of chance and skill: To defeat (an opponent) (as in cards) so that he fails to gain a point, or (in checkers) to get a king.
[Colloq. U. S.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Skunk
SKUNK
,Noun.
Definition 2024
Skunk
Skunk
See also: skunk
German
Skunk
Noun
Skunk m
- skunk (animal)
This German entry was created from the translations listed at skunk. It may be less reliable than other entries, and may be missing parts of speech or additional senses. Please also see Skunk in the German Wiktionary. This notice will be removed when the entry is checked. (more information) August 2009