skunk en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /skʌŋk/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Algonquian *šek- Proto-Algonquian *-a·kw- Proto-Algonquian *-a Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa Eastern Algonquianbor. English skunk Borrowed from an unattested Southern New England Eastern Algonquian word cognate with Abenaki segôgw (literally “he who squirts (musk) / urinates”), from Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa, from *šek- (“to urinate”). Doublet of Chicago.
Meanings
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(US) Any of various mammals of the subfamily Mephitinae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black coat with white markings and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.
The beaſts of offence be Squunckes, Ferrets, Foxes, vvhoſe impudence ſometimes drives them to the good vvives Hen rooſt, to fill their Paunch: ſome of theſe be blacke; their furre is of much eſteeme.
1634, William Wood, “Of the Beasts that Live on the Land”, in New Englands Prospect. A True, Lively, and Experimentall Description of that Part of America, Commonly Called New England; […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie, […], →OCLC, 1st part, pages 22–23:
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(US, dated, derogatory, slang) A despicable person.
In fact, the term he applied to this species of human being was "skunk," and he used it freely.
1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 152:
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(US, dated, derogatory, slang) Anything very bad; a stinker.
On the other hand, many critics contend that in terms of literary quality, many of the multiple-storyline books are true skunks.
1987, English Journal, volume 76, numbers 5-8, page 52:
- (US, slang) A walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score.
- (US, qualifier:cribbage) A win by thirty or more points. (A double skunk is sixty or more, a triple skunk ninety or more.)
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| scunck | alternative | lexicographic | |
| skunks | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
skunkbag · skunk tree · skunkish · skunkbush · skunk-weed · skunk dolphin · skunk blackbird · skunk at a garden party · skunkbill · skunkball · drunker than a skunk · rooter skunk · skunkbear · skunk bear (Gulo gulo · knock a skunk off a gut wagon · skunk works · skunk pig · skunkworks · skunkery · skunk turtle · skunked term · drunk as a skunk · skunk pox · hydrophobia skunk · skunklet · hog-nosed skunk · skunkie · stink a skunk off a gut wagon · skunk porpoise · skunkbird · striped skunk · skunkhead · skunk at the garden party · skunkweed · skunk currant · deskunk · skunk ape · skunklike · skunk cabbage) · skunk tail · skunky · skunkless · skunk up · skunk grass · skunk oil · spotted skunk · badger skunk · big skunk · skunk grease · hooded skunk · skunk spruce
Descendants
skunkur · skunk · skunks · skunk · skunk · скунс · skunk · skunkki · skunks · Skunk · skunk · スカンク · skunk
Translations (182)
az skuns (animal) · it puzzola (animal) · gv breinnag (animal) · acw ظِرْبان (animal) · paw riwit (animal) · yue 臭鼬 (animal) · alq cigàg (animal) · kic sekaakwa (animal) · fi haisunäätä (animal) · ru воню́чка (animal) · uz sassiq koʻzani (animal) · id sigung (animal) · uz skuns (animal) · zai beʼteʼ (animal) · lo ສະກັງ (animal) · sei sliitxcoj (animal) · gl mofeta (animal) · sl dihur (animal) · tt ала көзән (animal) · sac shekâkwa (animal) · fr sconse (animal) · de Skunk (animal) · ru скунс (animal) · cmn 臭鼬 (animal) · et vinukloom (animal) · ps ژګاګ (animal) · ja スカンク (animal) · apk dookats’į́łtshesá (animal) · fr canaille (despicable person) · es zorro hediondo (animal) · cic koni (animal) · pt cangambá (animal) · lv skunkss (animal) · zza boyınce (animal) · sv stinkdjur (animal) · fr putois (animal) · unm shkakw (animal) · es mofeta (animal) · es zorrillo (animal) · mn өмхий хүрэн (animal) · sv skunk (animal) · sln šowá (animal) · az iyverən porsuq (animal) · ca mofeta (animal) · es mapuro (animal) · hy ժանտաքիս (animal) · nv gólízhii (animal) · nnt laa!waa!quepuss (animal) · tfr ga (animal) · lo ແມວຂົ້ວໂລກ (animal) · sw kinyegere (animal) · mia šikaakwa (animal) · uk скунс (animal) · inz taxama (animal) · da stinkdyr (animal) · no stinkdyr (animal) · dgr nǫtsı̨ (animal) · fi murskavoitto (walkover victory) · tr kokarca (animal) · az qoxarca (animal) · lkt maká (animal) · chr ᏗᎳ (animal) · pt gambá (animal) · mrc milxwe (animal) · ru подле́ц (despicable person) · hi स्कंक (animal) · oj zhigaag (animal) · nap cajorda (animal) · es yaguané (animal) · ar ظَرِبَان (animal) · vi chồn hôi (animal) · veo taxama (animal) · bg скункс (animal) · ojw sikāk (animal) · twf kùylulúna (animal) · zza boyğanık (animal) · css yaawi (animal) · fo stinkdýr (animal) · sh твор (animal) · ru негодя́й (despicable person) · cr ᓯᑳᐠ (animal) · es zorrino (animal) · th สกังก์ (animal) · abe segôgw (animal) · ka მყრალა (animal) · sh tvor (animal) · arp xou (animal) · bo ཏེ་ལོ (animal) · mez seka·k (animal) · de Stinktier (animal) · lo ພຽງພອນເໝັນ (animal) · mic apigjilu (animal) · el μεφίτιδα (animal) · es yaguré (animal) · nwa saoθ (animal) · br skoñs (animal) · nah yepatl (animal) · lmw káluk (animal) · obi tqema (animal) · yok-bvy tsox (animal) · ky сасык кашкулак (animal) · qu añas (animal) · yi טכויר (animal) · tpw sarigûé (animal) · xmf სკუნსი (animal) · qua mą́ka (animal) · oc mofeta (animal) · es chingue (animal) · sq qelbës (animal) · ko 스컹크 (animal) · chy xāō'o (animal) · ctm kištˀeˀe (animal) · mk твор (animal) · ari niWIt (animal) · io mofeto (animal) · chr ᏗᎵ (animal) · ka სკუნსი (animal) · ug سېسىق كۈزەن (animal) · lt skunkas (animal) · cy drewgi (animal) · cho konih (animal) · ru мерза́вец (despicable person) · arp xoo (animal) · apw golízhi (animal) · pl śmierdziel (despicable person) · fr mufle (despicable person) · cs skunk (animal) · fr mouffette (animal) · it cappotto (walkover victory) · el αγριοκούναβο (animal) · pt camelo (despicable person) · uz kokarca (animal) · maa xíkjá (animal) · is skunkur (animal) · ceb milô (animal) · aqp šikitiš (animal) · myv чинебача (animal) · haw ponī (animal) · eu mofeta (animal) · kk сасықиісті (animal) · no skunk (animal) · da skunk (animal) · fa راسو (animal) · pl skunks (animal) · be скунс (animal) · rm scunc (animal) · fr salaud (despicable person) · lo ມູເຟັດ (animal) · ms skunk (animal) · fi hylkiö (despicable person) · shs sts̓ípeq (animal) · sk skunk (animal) · he בּוֹאֵשׁ (animal) · lmw wíiceke (animal) · ro sconcs (animal) · nl stinkdier (animal) · fi skunkki (animal) · xpq skôks (animal) · hy սկունս (animal) · vmy tjiuxikja (animal) · ia moffetta (animal) · pt doninha-fedorenta (animal) · ncz šic (animal) · yok-svy cox (animal) · mic apugjilu (animal) · ga scúnc (animal) · nah epatl (animal) · hu bűzösborz (animal) · kju nupʰeˑ (animal) · wo jab bi (animal) · crx hoonliz (animal) · sn chidembo (animal) · ats θouu (animal) · tpw sarigûeîa (animal) · it moffetta (animal) · es añás (animal) · ay añuthaya (animal) · mus kono (animal) · com pohniʔatsi̱ (animal) · ia skunk (animal) · et skunk (animal) · eo mefito (animal)