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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.
In America, the popular name of a fetid animal of the weasel kind; the Viverra Mephitis of Linne.

Definition 2024


Skunk

Skunk

See also: skunk

German

Skunk

Noun

Skunk m

  1. 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