suricata
/suɾikata/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English word "meerkat" is translated into Spanish as suricata.
suricata is a noun used to refer to the small carnivorous mammal known as a meerkat.
Meaning: small carnivorous mammal (noun)
Which one should you use?
suricata is the singular form, while suricatas is the plural form used to refer to multiple meerkats.
How does it change in a sentence?
suricata is a feminine noun. To form the plural, add an -s to create suricatas.
How do you pronounce it?
/suɾikata/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word suricata is actually a linguistic blend that traveled through French, combining elements of the Dutch word 'kat' and references to 'Suriname'.
- While the English name 'meerkat' literally translates to 'marsh cat', the Spanish term suricata has no semantic connection to cats or water.
- Even if you are discussing a single male meerkat, you must use the feminine article la because suricata is a grammatically feminine noun.
Examples in context
- La suricata es muy pequeña.The meerkat is very small.
- Vi una suricata en el zoológico.I saw a meerkat at the zoo.
- Esa suricata tiene un pelaje corto.That meerkat has short fur.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are visiting a wildlife park.
- DanielMira, María, ¡allí hay una suricata!Look, María, there is a meerkat over there!
- MaríaEs verdad, ¡qué linda es la suricata!It is true, the meerkat is so cute!
- Daniel¿Crees que se acerque a nosotros?Do you think it will come closer to us?
- MaríaNo lo creo, se ve muy asustadiza.I don't think so, it looks very timid.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meerkat” translations and entries suricata, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries suricata, CC BY-SA 4.0.
