Plural of genette; small carnivorous mammals from Africa and Europe with spotted coats and long tails, related to civets.
From French 'genette,' derived from Arabic 'jarnait.' The word entered European languages through medieval trade contacts with North Africa, referring to both the animal and its fur which was highly valued in medieval times.
Genettes were so prized in medieval Europe that their fur was used to line royal robes—a genette fur coat was literally a status symbol! They're also excellent at hunting rodents, which is why medieval merchants transported them across continents.
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