Ferret

Pronunciation

• enPR: fÄ•r'É™t, IPA: /ˈfÉ›rɪt/
• Rhymes: -É›rɪt

Middle English furet, ferret, from Anglo-Norman firet, furet, diminutive of Old French fuiron ("weasel, ferret"), from Late Latin furo ("cat; robber"), diminutive of Latin fur ("thief").

Full definition of ferret

Noun

1. An often domesticated mammal rather like a weasel, descended from the polecat and often trained to hunt burrowing animals.
2. The , .
3. A diligent searcher.

Synonyms

• (domesticated polecat) Mustela putorius furo

Verb

1. To hunt game with ferrets.
2. To uncover and bring to light by searching; usually to ferret out.
• ShakespeareMaster Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.
• 1922, Virginia Woolf, Jacob's Room Chapter 1She ferreted in her bag; then held it up mouth downwards; then fumbled in her lap, all so vigorously that Charles Steele in the Panama hat suspended his paint-brush.

Italian fioretto

Noun