ferret
1[ fer-it ]
/ ˈfɛr ɪt /
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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.
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Origin of ferret
11350–1400; 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, nounfer·ret·y, adjectiveun·fer·ret·ed, adjectiveun·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)
ferret2
[ fer-it ]
/ ˈfɛr ɪt /
noun
a narrow tape or ribbon, as of silk or cotton, used for binding, trimming, etc.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for ferret
British Dictionary definitions for ferret (1 of 2)
ferret1
/ (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, nounferrety, adjectiveWord Origin for ferret
C14: from Old French furet, from Latin fur thief
British Dictionary definitions for ferret (2 of 2)
ferret2
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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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