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ferret
ferret name for a domesticated polecat , Mustela putorius, common in the Old World. It has been used for centuries to hunt rats, mice, and rabbits. Domestic ferrets are found in many color types including albinos, brown, and black. The name is also applied to a related wild species, the North American, or black-footed, ferret, M. nigripes, which inhabits the Great Plains and is now extremely rare. Its range nearly coincides with that of the prairie dogs, which constitute most of its diet; it is often found in prairie dog burrows. The severe reduction of the prairie dog population by ranchers is probably partially responsible for the rarity of the black-footed ferret, although it was apparently not numerous when the West was first settled by Europeans. Ferrets are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Mustelidae ( weasel family). |
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"ferret." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ferret." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ferret.html "ferret." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ferret.html |
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ferret
fer·ret / ˈferət/ • n. a domesticated polecat (Mustela putorius furo), typically albino or brown in coloration. • v. (-ret·ed , -ret·ing ) [intr.] (of a person) hunt with ferrets, typically for rabbits. ∎ look around in a place or container in search of something: he went to the desk and ferreted around. ∎ [tr.] (ferret something out) search tenaciously for and find something: ferret out the facts. DERIVATIVES: fer·ret·er n. |
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"ferret." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ferret." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ferret.html "ferret." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ferret.html |
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ferret
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"ferret." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ferret." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ferret.html "ferret." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ferret.html |
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ferret
ferret1 half-tamed variety of pole-cat. XIV. — OF. fuiret, (also mod.) furet, by suffix-substitution from OF. fuiron (:- Rom. *fūriōn-), beside furon :- late L. fūrō, fūrōn- thief, hence vb. XV.
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T. F. HOAD. "ferret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "ferret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ferret.html T. F. HOAD. "ferret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ferret.html |
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ferret
ferret n. an aircraft, ship, or other vehicle that has been equipped in order to detect, locate, record, and analyze electromagnetic radiation.
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"ferret." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ferret." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-ferret.html "ferret." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-ferret.html |
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ferret
ferret2 †floss-silk XVI; stout tape XVII. prob. — It. fioretti floss-silk, pl. of fioretto, dim. of fiore flower.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "ferret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "ferret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ferret1.html T. F. HOAD. "ferret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ferret1.html |
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ferret
ferret
•caret • Sanskrit • Prakrit
•ferret, inherit, merit
•egret • secret
•dispirit, skirret, spirit
•floret • pomfret • bowsprit
•barbiturate
•turret, worrit
•culprit • floweret • Margaret
•cellaret (US cellarette)
•banneret, lanneret
•hypocrite • preterite (US preterit)
•Everett, leveret
•favourite (US favorite)
•interpret, misinterpret
•basset, facet, tacet, tacit
•Narragansett, transit
•lancet
•cresset, Knesset
•exit • resit
•complicit, elicit, explicit, illicit, implicit, licit, solicit
•Tilsit • plebiscite • babysit • deficit
•cosset, posset
•Quonset • whatsit
•corset, Dorset, faucet
•gusset, russet
•dulcet
•tercet, verset
•ashet • planchet • bullshit • Bastet
•tomtit • bluetit
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"ferret." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ferret." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ferret.html "ferret." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ferret.html |
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