badg·er 
(b
j
r)
KEY NOUN:
- Any of several carnivorous burrowing mammals of the family Mustelidae, such as Meles meles of Eurasia or Taxidea taxus of North America, having short legs, long claws on the front feet, and a heavy grizzled coat.
- The fur or hair of this mammal.
- Any of several similar mammals, such as the ratel.
TRANSITIVE VERB: badg·ered,
badg·er·ing,
badg·ers - To harass or pester persistently. See Synonyms at harass.
ETYMOLOGY:Perhaps from
badgeWORD HISTORY: Our name for the Eurasian species of this mammal, which is noted for defending its burrow like a knight of old, may come from the badger's knightly emblem. The creature's white head with a broad black stripe on each side of the snout may have brought to mind a badge, hence
badger. Good evidence supporting this theory is that an earlier name for the animal was
bauson, which comes from the Old French word
baucenc, usually referring to a white patch on a horse and also meaning "badger."
Bauson is first recorded by 1375,
badger in 1523.
