ermine


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er·mine

 (ûr′mĭn)
n.
1. A weasel (Mustela erminea) native to northern regions, having a black-tipped tail and dark brown fur that in winter changes to white. Also called stoat.
2. The commercially valuable white fur of this animal.

[Middle English ermin, from Old French ermine, hermine, possibly of Germanic origin (compare Old High German harmīn, of ermine, from harmo, ermine; akin to Lithuanian šarma, hoarfrost, and šermuo, šarmuo, ermine (the ermine being the animal with the "snowy" white coat)) or from Latin Armenius, Armenian (from the medieval belief that ermine pelts came from Armenia and were obtained from a furry animal that Pliny the Elder called in Latin mūs Pontica, literally "Pontic mouse," once thought to be the ermine).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ermine

(ˈɜːmɪn)
n, pl -mines or -mine
1. (Animals) the stoat in northern regions, where it has a white winter coat with a black-tipped tail
2. (Textiles) the fur of this animal
3. (Heraldry) one of the two principal furs used on heraldic shields, conventionally represented by a white field flecked with black ermine tails. Compare vair
4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the dignity or office of a judge, noble, or king
5. (Animals) short for ermine moth
[C12: from Old French hermine, from Medieval Latin Armenius (mūs) Armenian (mouse)]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

er•mine

(ˈɜr mɪn)

n., pl. -mines, (esp. collectively) -mine for 1,2.
1. a weasel of the Northern Hemisphere, Mustela erminea, having a white coat with a black-tipped tail in the winter.
2. any of various weasels having a white winter coat.
3. the white winter fur of the ermine, often including the black tail tip.
4. the rank or position of a king, peer, or judge who wears a robe trimmed with ermine on official or state occasions.
[1150–1200; Middle English < Old French (h)ermine, n. use of feminine of (h)ermin (masculine adj.) < Medieval Latin Armenius, short for Armenius (mūs) Armenian (rat)]
er′mined, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.ermine - the expensive white fur of the ermineermine - the expensive white fur of the ermine
fur, pelt - the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
2.ermine - mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coatermine - mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coat
weasel - small carnivorous mammal with short legs and elongated body and neck
stoat - the ermine in its brown summer coat with black-tipped tail
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
hranostaj
kärpännahkakärppä
hreysiköttur
šermuonėlis
hermelin

ermine

[ˈɜːmɪn] N (ermines or ermine (pl)) → armiño m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

ermine

[ˈɜːrmɪn] nhermine f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

ermine

n (= animal)Hermelin nt; (= fur)Hermelin m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

ermine

[ˈɜːmɪn] nermellino
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
When the Blotted Escutcheon had resumed his seat a Soiled Ermine rose and said:
When they had gone and the King was alone with Dorothy he came down from his throne, tossed his crown into a corner and kicked his ermine robe under the table.
So the Queen placed a big crown of gold, set with rubies, upon Evardo's head, and threw an ermine robe over his shoulders, and proclaimed him King; and he bowed gratefully to all his subjects and then went away to see if he could find any cake in the royal pantry.
Henry van der Luyden's arm, sat weeping softly under her Chantilly veil, her hands in her grandmother's ermine muff.
As for white armour, he resolved, on the first opportunity, to scour his until it was whiter than an ermine; and so comforting himself he pursued his way, taking that which his horse chose, for in this he believed lay the essence of adventures.
There were milkmaids and shepherdesses, with brightly colored bodices and golden spots all over their gowns; and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple; and shepherds dressed in knee breeches with pink and yellow and blue stripes down them, and golden buckles on their shoes; and princes with jeweled crowns upon their heads, wearing ermine robes and satin doublets; and funny clowns in ruffled gowns, with round red spots upon their cheeks and tall, pointed caps.
From the carriages emerged men wearing uniforms, stars, and ribbons, while ladies in satin and ermine cautiously descended the carriage steps which were let down for them with a clatter, and then walked hurriedly and noiselessly over the baize at the entrance.
A jupon of dark blue cloth, tagged with buckles and pendants of gold, seemed but a sombre and plain attire amidst the wealth of silk and ermine and gilt tissue of fustian with which he was surrounded.
Upon the quarter-deck of the flagship, sheltered by a canopy of velvet and ermine, which was suspended by stout supports, Henrietta, the queen dowager, and the young princess -- with the admiral, the Duke of Norfolk -- standing beside them -- watched with alarm this slender bark, at one moment tossed to the heavens, and the next buried beneath the waves, and against whose dark sail the noble figures of the two French gentlemen stood forth in relief like two luminous apparitions.
It is one of my most valued treasures--an ermine collar studded with emeralds.
At rare intervals they chanced upon the trail of a snowshoe rabbit or an ermine; but in the main it seemed that all life had fled the land.
A red cloak trimmed with beautiful ermine hung from his shoulders and upon his back was a basket filled with pretty presents for the Princess Ozma.