noun
ferret
FAIR-it/ˈferɪt/
A small domesticated meat-eating mammal with a long, slender body.
The ferret stands beside its blanket, showing its long body and dark facial mask.
Etymology
Old French furet is a diminutive of an animal name literally meaning “thief,” referring to slyness and craftiness. That name probably traces back to Latin fur, “thief.”
In context
a female ferret she runs around and of course she puts the fear of God on the rabbits they shoot along the burrows
More examples
- The ferret squeezes its slender body through a narrow opening.
- The veterinarian recommends a meat-based diet for our ferrets.
- Hunters sometimes use ferrets to drive rabbits from their burrows.
Forms
ferret · ferrets