Meaning: It refers to any of the large rats of southern Asia, and to small insectivorous and herbivorous marsupial mammals of Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea.
Origin: In use since the 18th Century, it originated from the Telugu word pandi-kokku, meaning pig-rat. Later the marsupials came to be known as bandicoots too, due to their resemblance to the large rats.
Example: We were sure it was a bandicoot that scurried off into our shed.
Picture Credit : Google