ratel

English

Honey badger (Mellivora capensis)

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans ratel, from Middle Dutch raat (“honeycomb”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑːtəl/

Noun

ratel (plural ratels)

1. A carnivorous mammal, Mellivora capensis, found in Africa and some parts of Asia; the honey badger.

Translations

Mellivora capensis — see honey badger

Anagrams

• Alert, alert, alter, alter-, altre, artel, later, taler, telar

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Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch ratel, from Middle Dutch raat (“honeycomb”).

Noun

ratel (plural ratels)

1. honey badger
2. badger

   Synonym: das

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈraː.təl/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ra‧tel
• Rhymes: -aːtəl

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch ratele.

Noun

ratel f or m (plural ratels, diminutive rateltje n)

1. (music) ratchet, rattle
2. ratchet (tool or mechanism)
3. socket wrench
4. rattle (organ for making noise, such as a rattlesnake's)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

ratel

1. first-person singular present indicative of ratelen
2. imperative of ratelen

Etymology 3

From Middle Dutch ratele. Related to raat.

Noun

ratel f (plural ratels, diminutive rateltje n)

1. (Belgium) honeycomb
   • 1895, De Mandelbie, vol. 1, issue 6, page 86.

     Zij zullen meêdoogenloos uitgeplunterd worden ; zelfs de ratels zullen hunne vraatzucht niet ontgaan, zooals gij verder zult zien.

   • 1971, Vlaams Imkersblad, page 227.

     Honig diende tot voeding en werd als offer in de godsdienstige plechtigheden aangeboden. De oude Kelten, over drie duizend jaren, boden de landelijke godheden een ratel (raat) zeem aan om de zegening der veldvruchten te bekomen.

2. (uncommon, chiefly South Africa) ratel [from 18th c.]

   Synonym: honingdas

Anagrams

• alert, later

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Portuguese

Noun

ratel m (plural ratéis)

1. honey badger (Mellivora capensis, a mustelid of Africa, Arabia and India)

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Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /raˈtel/, [raˈt̪el]

Noun

ratel m (plural rateles)

1. honey badger

   Synonym: tejón de miel