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ferret

1 of 3

noun (1)

fer·​ret ˈfer-ət How to pronounce ferret (audio)
1
a
: a domesticated usually albino, brownish, or silver-gray animal (Mustela putorius furo) that is descended from the European polecat
2
: an active and persistent searcher
ferrety adjective

ferret

2 of 3

verb

ferreted; ferreting; ferrets

intransitive verb

1
: to hunt with ferrets
2
: to search about

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to hunt (animals, such as rabbits) with ferrets
(2)
: to force out of hiding : flush
b
: to find and bring to light by searching
usually used with out
ferret out the answers
2
ferreter noun

ferret

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a narrow cotton, silk, or wool tape

called also ferreting

Did you know?

Ferret as a Verb

Since the 14th century, English speakers have used ferret as the name of a small domesticated animal of the weasel family. The word came to us by way of Anglo-French and can be traced back to Latin fur, meaning "thief." These days ferrets are often kept as pets, but previously they were used to hunt rabbits, rats, and other vermin, and to drive them from their underground burrows. By the 15th century, the verb ferret was being used of the action of hunting with ferrets. By the late 16th century, the verb had taken on figurative uses as well. Today, we most frequently encounter the verb ferret in the sense of "to find and bring to light by searching."

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English furet, ferret, from Anglo-French firet, furet, from Vulgar Latin *furittus, literally, little thief, diminutive of Latin fur thief — more at furtive

Noun (2)

probably modification of Italian fioretti floss silk, from plural of fioretto, diminutive of fiore flower, from Latin flor-, flos — more at blow

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1649, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferret was in the 14th century

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