ermine
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Middle English ermine, ermin, ermyn, from Old French ermin, ermine, hermine (“ermine”), of Germanic origin, from Frankish *harmo, *harmin- (“ermine, stoat, weasel”), from Proto-Germanic *harmô (“weasel”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerǝm- (“weasel”). Cognate with Old High German harmo (“ermine, stoat, weasel”), Old Dutch harm (“weasel”), Old English hearma (“fieldmouse, dormouse, weasel”). Compare also German Hermelin (“ermine”). More at ermelin.
Note: The supposed derivation from Medieval Latin mūs Armenius (“Armenian mouse”) is without any foundation. [1]
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
Wikipedia ermine (plural ermines)
- A weasel, Mustela erminea, found in northern latitudes; its dark brown fur turns white in winter (apart from the black tip of the tail)
- The white fur of this animal
- (poetic) A symbol of purity
- (figuratively) The office of a judge
- (heraldry) A white field with black spots
[edit] Synonyms
- stoat (British)
- short-tailed weasel
- wild otter
[edit] Translations
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[edit] Verb
ermine (third-person singular simple present ermines, present participle ermining, simple past and past participle ermined)
- To clothe with ermine
[edit] References
- OED 2nd edition 1989
[edit] Anagrams
[edit] Old French
[edit] Noun
ermine f. (oblique plural ermines, nominative singular ermine, nominative plural ermines)
- ermine (fabric)
- circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:
- La pane fu de blanc ermine
- circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Germanic languages
- English terms derived from Frankish
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English nouns
- English poetic terms
- en:Heraldry
- English verbs
- en:Mustelids
- Old French nouns
- Old French feminine nouns