ferret en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈfɛɹɪt/
- fĕr'ət
Etymology
From Middle English furet, ferret, from Old French furet, from Vulgar Latin *furittum (“weasel, ferret”), diminutive of Latin fūr (“thief”).
Meanings
- An often domesticated mammal (Mustela putorius furo) rather like a weasel, descended from the European polecat and often trained to hunt burrowing animals.
- A black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes).
-
(figuratively) A diligent searcher.
The most challenging documentary discoveries were made by a tenacious archival ferret, Dr Antonio Bertoletti. In 1879 he published his findings in a slim, refreshingly dry volume, Francesco Cenci e la sua Famiglia.
1998 July 2, Charles Nicholl, “Screaming in the Castle”, in London Review of Books, volume XX, number 13:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ferrets | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
chutney ferret · ferretlike · hob-ferret · ferrety · exercise the ferret · ferret-faced · ferreter · reverse ferret · ferret-badger · ferret-face · ferret-legging
Relateds
Translations (98)
gl furón (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · pl fretka (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · io fureto (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · oc fura (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · tg хаз (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · fi fretti (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · br fured (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · el νυφίτσα (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · izh harjokka (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sv tamiller (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ga firéad (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · rgn furèt (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · no frett (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · et tuhkur (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · fa راسو (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · tr yaban (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · uz sassiqkuzan (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · mk ласица (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sh вретна (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · bg фре́тка (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sh vretna (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · eu hudo (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · fy fret (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · uk тхір (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · nl fret (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · mi tori hura (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ru хорь (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · cmn 雪貂 (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · th เฟร์ริต (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · no ilder (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sc furittu (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · scn furittu (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · be тхор (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sk fretka (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · dsb łasycka (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · pdt Elkj (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sco futret (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · gd fearaid (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · bg дома́шен пор (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · uk фре́тка (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sv iller (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · is fretta (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · smi albinočáhppesbuoidda (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ltg saskys (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · fr furet (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ms feret (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · cs fretka (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · es grisón (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ta மரநாய் வகை (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · lv sesks (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · bg пор (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sh tvor (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · nn ilder (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · cy ffured (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ko 페럿 (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · mt nemes (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sl dihur (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · hu vadászgörény (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · az safsar (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · el κουνάβι (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · rm furet (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ca furó (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ka ქრცვინი (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ky күзөн (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ast furón (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · fur pudîs blanc (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · gl tourón (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · eo furo (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ar اِبْنُ مِقْرَض (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sw fereti (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sq qelbës (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · kk күзен (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sc fughittu (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · lt šeškas (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · es hurón (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ru хорёк (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · nrf futhet (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · grc γαλέη (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ro nevăstuică (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · smi ferrehtta (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · gd neas (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · grc γαλῆ (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · uk дома́шній тхір (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · nv dlǫ́ʼii (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · qu manqu (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ja フェレット (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · de Frettchen (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · sh твор (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ja 白鼬 (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · hy ժանտաքիս (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · myv пача (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · tr dağ gelinciği (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · he חָמוֹס (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · la viverra (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · ca fura (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · da fritte (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · it furetto (the mammal Mustela putorius furo) · pt furão (the mammal Mustela putorius furo)