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polecat
polecat carnivorous mammal of the weasel family. The name refers especially to the common Old World polecat, Mustela putorius, found in wooded areas of N Eurasia and N Africa. Similar to weasels, but larger and with longer fur, polecats grow to nearly 2 ft (60 cm) long, including the 6-in. (15-cm) tail. The fur, sold under the name fitch and much used in the early 19th cent., is dark brown above, with yellow patches on the ears and face. The belly, feet, and tail are nearly black. Like other members of its family, polecats have a scent gland under the tail which emits a fetid secretion used for territorial marking; the gland is most active when the animals are alarmed. Solitary, nocturnal animals, they spend the day in dens. They feed on small animals and eggs and are quite destructive to poultry and small game. Farmers have exterminated polecats in many areas, but they still survive in wilder places over most of their former range. Domesticated strains of polecat have been developed for hunting; these are called ferret , a name also applied to a wild polecat species of North America. The marbled polecat and striped polecat (see zorilla ) are related animals of Africa and W Asia. The skunk , a New World member of the weasel family, is called polecat in some regions. Polecats are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Mustelidae. |
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"polecat." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "polecat." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-polecat.html "polecat." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-polecat.html |
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polecat
polecat Any of several species of small, carnivorous, nocturnal mammals that live in wooded areas of Eurasia and n Africa; especially Mustela putorius, the common polecat. It has a slender body, long bushy tail, anal scent glands, and brown to black fur known as fitch. It eats small animals, birds and eggs. Length: 45.7cm (18in). Family Mustelidae.
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"polecat." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "polecat." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-polecat.html "polecat." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-polecat.html |
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polecat
pole·cat / ˈpōlˌkat/ • n. a weasellike Eurasian mammal (genus Mustela, family Mustelidae) with mainly dark brown fur and a darker mask across the eyes, noted for ejecting a fetid fluid when threatened. ∎ another term for skunk. |
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"polecat." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "polecat." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-polecat.html "polecat." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-polecat.html |
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polecat
polecat XIV (polcat). The first el. is of unkn. orig. the second is CAT.
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T. F. HOAD. "polecat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "polecat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-polecat.html T. F. HOAD. "polecat." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-polecat.html |
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polecat
polecat •at, bat, brat, cat, chat, cravat, drat, expat, fat, flat, frat, gat, gnat, hat, hereat, high-hat, howzat, lat, mat, matt, matte, Montserrat, Nat, outsat, pat, pit-a-pat, plait, plat, prat, Rabat, rat, rat-tat, Sadat, sat, scat, Sebat, shabbat, shat, skat, slat, spat, splat, sprat, stat, Surat, tat, that, thereat, tit-for-tat, vat, whereat
•fiat • floreat • exeat • caveat
•Croat, Serbo-Croat
•Nanga Parbat • brickbat • dingbat
•combat, wombat
•fruitbat • numbat • acrobat • backchat
•whinchat • chitchat • samizdat
•concordat • Arafat • Jehoshaphat
•butterfat • Kattegat • hard hat
•sun hat • fat cat • hellcat • requiescat
•scaredy-cat • Magnificat • copycat
•pussycat • wildcat • bobcat • tomcat
•Sno-Cat • polecat • muscat • meerkat
•mudflat • cervelat
•doormat, format
•diplomat • laundromat • Zermatt
•Donat • cowpat
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Cite this article
"polecat." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "polecat." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-polecat.html "polecat." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-polecat.html |
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