polecat
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pole·cat
(pōl′kăt′)n.
1.
a. A chiefly nocturnal mustelid mammal (Mustela putorius) of Europe that ejects a malodorous fluid to mark its territory and defend itself from predators. Also called fitch.
b. Either of two similar mammals, Mustela eversmanii of the Central Asian steppes, having a light brown coat with a black mask, or Vormela peregusna of Eurasia, having a mottled yellow and brown coat.
2. See skunk.
[Middle English polcat : possibly Old French poll, poule, fowl, hen; see pullet + Middle English cat, cat; see cat.]
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.
polecat
(ˈpəʊlˌkæt)n, pl -cats or -cat
1. (Animals) Also called (formerly): foumart or foulmart a dark brown musteline mammal, Mustela putorius, of woodlands of Europe, Asia, and N Africa, that is closely related to but larger than the weasel and gives off an unpleasant smell. See also sweet marten
2. (Animals) any of various related animals, such as the marbled polecat,Vormela peregusna
3. (Animals) US a nontechnical name for skunk1
[C14 polcat, perhaps from Old French pol cock, from Latin pullus, + cat1; from its habit of preying on poultry]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pole•cat
(ˈpoʊlˌkæt)n., pl. -cats, (esp. collectively) -cat.
1. a European weasel, Mustela putorius, having blackish fur and ejecting a fetid fluid when attacked or disturbed. Compare ferret 1 (def. 1).
2. any of various North American skunks.
[1275–1325; Middle English polcat, perhaps = Middle French pol, poul chicken (< Latin pullus) + cat]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Polecat
Polecat is the common name for a weasel-like carnivore, but colloquially it referred to a skunk.
1001 Words and Phrases You Never Knew You Didn’t Know by W.R. Runyan Copyright © 2011 by W.R. Runyan
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  polecat - American musteline mammal typically ejecting an intensely malodorous fluid when startled; in some classifications put in a separate subfamily MephitinaeMephitis mephitis, striped skunk - most common and widespread North American skunk hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura - of Mexico and southernmost parts of southwestern United States badger skunk, Conepatus leuconotus, hognosed skunk, hog-nosed skunk, rooter skunk - large naked-muzzled skunk with white back and tail; of southwestern North America and Mexico little spotted skunk, Spilogale putorius, spotted skunk - small skunk with a marbled black and white coat; of United States and Mexico |
| 2. |  polecat - dark brown mustelid of woodlands of Eurasia that gives off an unpleasant odor when threatenedgenus Mustela, Mustela - type genus of the family Mustelidae: minks and weasels ferret - domesticated albino variety of the European polecat bred for hunting rats and rabbits |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
شَخْص دَنيء ، شيء قذرفأر خَيْل، إبْن عِرْس
tchořskunk
ilderskunk
hilleri
tvor
görényszkunksz
òefvísla, illirskunkur
mustella
šeškasskunkas
sesksskunkss
tchor
dihur
iller
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
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
polecat
(ˈpəulkat) noun1. a kind of large weasel.
2. (American) a skunk.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.