fitch

¹ American  

[fich] / fɪtʃ /

Also fitchet

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of fitch

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

Example Sentences

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

In fact, furriers are using everything short of their own hides � Russian fitch, French rabbit, Algerian sand rat, Polish pony, Australian kangaroo and Wyoming buffalo.

From Time Magazine Archive

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

Mrs. Joe Peabody was a very pretty old lady when she was unwrapped from her black cloak and two shawls and fitch tippet and pumpkin hood, and seated in the big chair by the fire.

From The Green Door by Freeman, Mary Eleanor Wilkins

The Carnivora include bears, wolverines, wolves, raccoons, foxes, sables, martens, skunks, kolinskis, fitch, fishers, ermines, cats, sea otters, fur seals, hair seals, lions, tigers, leopards, lynxes, jackals, &c.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various