ferret
1
[ fer-it ]
/ ˈfɛr ɪt /
noun
a domesticated, usually red-eyed, and albinic variety of the polecat, used in Europe for driving rabbits and rats from their burrows.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to search about.
Origin of ferret
1
1350–1400; Middle English
fer(r)et(te),
fyret, furet < Middle French
furet < Vulgar Latin
*furittus, equivalent to
fūr thief (< Latin) +
-ittus
-et
OTHER WORDS FROM ferret
fer·ret·er, noun fer·ret·y, adjective un·fer·ret·ed, adjective un·fer·ret·ing, adjectiveWords nearby ferret
ferredoxin,
ferrein's pyramid,
ferrel's law,
ferreous,
ferrero,
ferret,
ferret badger,
ferret out,
ferri-,
ferriage,
ferric
Definition for ferret (2 of 2)
ferret
2
[ fer-it ]
/ ˈfɛr ɪt /
noun
a narrow tape or ribbon, as of silk or cotton, used for binding, trimming, etc.
Example sentences from the Web for ferret
British Dictionary definitions for ferret (1 of 2)
ferret
1
/ (ˈfɛrɪt) /
noun
a domesticated albino variety of the polecat Mustela putorius, bred for hunting rats, rabbits, etc
an assiduous searcher
black-footed ferret
a musteline mammal, Mustela nigripes, of W North America, closely related to the weasels
verb -rets, -reting or -reted
Derived forms of ferret
ferreter, noun ferrety, adjectiveWord Origin for ferret
C14: from Old French
furet, from Latin
fur thief
British Dictionary definitions for ferret (2 of 2)
ferret
2
ferreting
/ (ˈfɛrɪt) /
noun
silk binding tape
Word Origin for ferret
C16: from Italian
fioretti floss silk, plural of
fioretto : a little flower, from
fiore flower, from Latin
flōs