ermines

Variant of ermine

noun pl. ermines or ermine

  1. any of several northern weasels having brown fur in summer and white fur with a black-tipped tail in winter, as the stoat
  2. the soft, white fur of this animal, used for women's coats, trimming, etc.
  3. the position, rank, or functions of some European judges or peers, whose state robe is trimmed with ermine
  4. Heraldry a representation of a fur indicated by black spots on a white field

Origin: ME & OFr ermin; OFr ermine, hermine, prob. < MHG hermin, erminelike < harme, ermine < OHG harmo, weasel (OE hearma): infl. by folk-etym. assoc. with L (mus) Armenius, Armenian (mouse)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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