The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
suricat \su"ri*cat\, suricate \su"ri*cate\(s[=u]"r[i^]*k[a^]t),
n. [F. surikate, from the native name in South Africa.]
(Zool.)
A South African mongooselike viverrine (Suricata suricatta
or Suricata tetradactyla) having a lemurlike face and only
four toes; called also mierkat, yellow mongoose and
zenick. [Also spelled surikate.]
Note: The animal called zenick seems also to be related to
or identical to the mierkat, but no reference can be
found on the internet.
Syn: meerkat.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]