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fitch

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fitch¹

Where it comes from

Shortening of fitchew, or directly borrowed from its antecedent, Middle Dutch vitsche (“polecat”). More at fitchew.

noun fitches

  1. A polecat, such as the European polecat (Mustela putorius), the striped polecat, steppe polecat, or black-footed polecat of America. The more beautiful of the two comes from a North American species, the black-footed pole-cat (No. 3), which is creamy yellow, sprinkled with black. Made-up skins of this species are sold as "natural fitch" to distinguish them from those of the common fitch, which are generally dyed. The finest skins
  2. A skin of a polecat. For those who cannot afford the luxury of real fur, the most picturesque and delightful substitute is offered in stoles and muffs made up of plush-pony skin trimmed with a piece of natural fitch set slant-ways across the front of the muff […]

fitch²

Where it comes from

From fitch due to the similarity to the striped or mottled pattern of polecat fur.

noun fitches

  1. A kind of twisted open weave in wickerwork.

verb fitches · fitching · fitched

  1. To use this kind of open weave.

fitch³

Where it comes from

See vetch.

noun fitches

  1. alternative, obsolete Alternative form of vetch 1. Colutæa vesicaria vulgaris sylvestris. Ordinary Bastard Sene with bladders. This greater Bastard Sene groweth in time to be a tree of a reasonable greatnesse, the stem or trunck being of the bignesse of a mans arme or greater, covered with a blackish greene ragged barke, the wood whereof is hard

Fitch⁴

Where it comes from

English surname, possibly from Old French fiche (“iron post”). A connection with the noun fitch (“polecat”) is unlikely as the surname predates it by at least 300 years.

proper noun Fitches · Fidge

  1. countable, uncountable A surname from Old French.
  2. countable, uncountable An unincorporated community in Caswell County, North Carolina, United States.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: polecat, foumart, foulmart, mustela putorius, federal, european polecat, marbled polecat, ferret, foul marten, perwitsky, bobcat, short-tailed weasel, bearcat, wild cat, otter, mustelid

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MLA

"fitch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/fitch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

fitch. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/fitch

Chicago

"fitch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/fitch.

BibTeX
@misc{fitch_2026,
  title = {fitch},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fitch},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}