european ferret

2 definitions found

european ferret - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Foumart \Fou"mart`\, n. [OE. folmard, fulmard; AS. f[=u]l foul +
     mear[eth], meard, marten: cf. F. marte, martre. See Foul,
     a., and Marten the quadruped.] (Zool.)
     The European polecat; -- called also European ferret, and
     fitchew. See Polecat. [Written also foulmart,
     foulimart, and fulimart.]
     [1913 Webster]

  Polecat \Pole"cat`\, n. [Probably fr. F. poule hen, and
     originally, a poultry cat, because it feeds on poultry. See
     Poultry.] (Zool.)
        (a) A small European carnivore of the Weasel family
            (Putorius f[oe]tidus). Its scent glands secrete a
            substance of an exceedingly disagreeable odor. Called
            also fitchet, foulmart, and European ferret.
        (b) The zorilla. The name is also applied to other allied
            species.
            [1913 Webster]