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• fitch
  fitch

  noun

  the European polecat, Mustela putorius.
• Fitch
  Fitch

  noun

  John, 1743–98, U.S. inventor: pioneer in development of the steamboat.

fitch

¹ American  

[fich] / fɪtʃ /

Also fitchet

noun

fitches plural

1. the European polecat, Mustela putorius.

2. its fur, often dyed to imitate other furs.

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Fitch ² American  

[fich] / fɪtʃ /

noun

1. John, 1743–98, U.S. inventor: pioneer in development of the steamboat.

2. (William) Clyde, 1865–1909, U.S. playwright.

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fitch British  

/ ˈfɪtʃɪt, fɪtʃ /

noun

1. another name for polecat

2. the fur of the polecat or ferret

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fitches
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fitch

1400–50; late Middle English fiche, feche, fuche polecat fur < Middle Dutch fisse, visse, vitsche polecat

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fitch Fitch fitches

At Céline, in addition to the suede jumpsuit, Phoebe Philo offered slouchy leather pants with a color-block turtleneck and a pair of fur wrap coats, one beaver and the other fitch.

From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2012

With youth in mind, and to revive a market that dropped 40% in sales between 1947 and 1967, Kaplan branched out into inexpensive furs like mink paw, fitch and squirrel.

From Time Magazine Archive

She put out a most cordial and warm hand from her fitch muff, and her acquaintance noticed with pleasure the white knitted mitten that protected it from the weather.

From The Life of Nancy by Jewett, Sarah Orne

Sally held up an old-fashioned fitch fur tippet.

From The Copy-Cat and Other Stories by Freeman, Mary Eleanor Wilkins

Later on they found that in some mysterious way a bag of flour, a fitch of bacon, a small bag of salt, and a few other small articles had been taken from the cook tent.

From Bob Hunt in Canada by Orton, George W.

A burgeoning defence startup sector "is not something that is going to stop a potential Russian attack", Milan Trajkovic, an analyst at Fitch, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

This email was written by Asa Fitch, writer for Heard on the Street, The Wall Street Journal’s home for financial analysis and commentary.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Despite a massive informal sector that accounts for nearly 90 percent of jobs, macroeconomic indicators are positive for Ivory Coast, notably with Fitch Ratings having lifted its sovereign assessment to BB in December.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

The private-equity firms’ latest offer represented a 33% premium to DCC’s volume-weighted average share price during the three-month period through April, according to a report by finance-research provider Fitch Ratings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Their meeting in Las Vegas with the third and smallest rating agency, Fitch Ratings, stuck in Vinny’s mind.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

The ornaments are usually done with stencil patterns, and the lines are done with straight edges and lining fitches.

From Paper and Printing Recipes A Handy Volume of Practical Recipes, Concerning the Every-Day Business of Stationers, Printers, Binders, and the Kindred Trades by Ford, J. Sawtelle

Mink, now, fitches a fancy price when you can catch 'em.

From Baby Pitcher's Trials Little Pitcher Stories by May, Carrie L.

For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

From Expositions of Holy Scripture Isaiah and Jeremiah by Maclaren, Alexander

When lie hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

From Expositions of Holy Scripture Isaiah and Jeremiah by Maclaren, Alexander

"Fitches are not threshed with a thresher, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod."

From Heathen Slaves and Christian Rulers by Andrew, Elizabeth Wheeler