vontsira

English

Etymology

From Malagasy vontsira (“several similar mongoose-like animals”), from Swahili nguchiro.

Noun

vontsira (plural vontsiras)

  1. Any member of the subfamily Galidiinae of small, brown, mongoose-like mammals, from Madagascar.

Anagrams

Malagasy

Etymology

Borrowed from Swahili nguchiro.

Noun

vontsira

  1. A member of either of two species of small, brown, mongoose-like mammals Salanoia concolor and Salanoia durrelli, from Madagascar.

References

  • Blench, Roger, Walsh, Martin (2011) “Faunal names in Malagasy: their etymologies and implications for the prehistory of the East African coast”, in 11th International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics‎[1], Aussois, France, pages 1–31
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