ferret
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ferret¹
- /ˈfɛɹɪt/
Rhymes with -ɛɹɪt
Where it comes from
From Middle English furet, ferret, from Old French furet, from Vulgar Latin *furittum (“weasel, ferret”), diminutive of Latin fūr (“thief”).
noun ferrets
- 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).
- 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.
verb ferrets · ferreting · ferreted
- To hunt game with ferrets.
- To uncover and bring to light by searching; usually to ferret out. Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.
ferret²
- /ˈfɛɹɪt/
Rhymes with -ɛɹɪt
noun
- A tape of silk, cotton, or ribbon, used to tie documents, clothing, etc. or along the edge of fabric. red tape and green ferret
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: grub, black-footed ferret, mustela nigripes, weasel, footed, delve, european polecat, polecat, ferret-badger, fitch, otter, mustelid, fingerling, short-tailed weasel, foumart, pahmi
Translations
Every language
noun the mammal Mustela putorius furo
| Español | hurón, grisón |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 페럿 pereot |
| 日本語 | フェレット feretto, 白鼬 shiroitachi |
| 中文 | 雪貂 xuědiāo |
| Kiswahili | fereti |
| Português | furão |
| Français | furet |
| Deutsch | Frettchen |
| Italiano | furetto |
| Ελληνικά | κουνάβι kounávi, νυφίτσα nyfítsa |
| Română | nevăstuică |
| Русский | хорёк xorjók, хорь xorʹ |
| العربية | اِبْنُ مِقْرَض ibnu miqraḍ |
| עברית | חָמוֹס khamós |
Talk about this word "ferret." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ferret. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ferret. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ferret "ferret." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ferret.Cite this
@misc{ferret_2026,
title = {ferret},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ferret},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
