polecat

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pole·cat

(pōl′kăt′)

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]

Polecat

Polecat is the common name for a weasel-like carnivore, but colloquially it referred to a skunk.

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 Mephitinae wood pussy, skunk mustelid, musteline, musteline mammal - fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals Mephitis 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 threatened fitch, foulmart, foumart, Mustela putorius mustelid, musteline, musteline mammal - fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals genus 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

Translations

شَخْص دَنيء ، شيء قذرفأر خَيْل، إبْن عِرْس

tchořskunk

ilderskunk

Iltis Stinktier

βρωμοκούναβο οζοϊκτίς

turón

hilleri

putois mouffette

tvor

görényszkunksz

òefvísla, illirskunkur

puzzola

mustella

šeškasskunkas

sesksskunkss

tchor

dihur

iller

kokarca sansar

臭鼬鸡貂

polecat

[ˈpəʊlkæt] N (polecats or polecat (pl)) (Brit) → turón m (US) → mofeta f

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

polecat

[ˈpəʊlkæt] n → putois m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

polecat

[ˈpəʊlˌkæt] n (Brit) → puzzola (Am) → moffetta

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

polecat

(ˈpəulkat) noun

1. a kind of large weasel.

2. (American) a skunk.

References in classic literature ?

This guide was our friend Peppino, who dashed into the thicket of high weeds, through a path which none but lizards or polecats could have imagined to be an open road.

View in context

Look at the Mustela vison of North America, which has webbed feet and which resembles an otter in its fur, short legs, and form of tail; during summer this animal dives for and preys on fish, but during the long winter it leaves the frozen waters, and preys like other polecats on mice and land animals.

View in context

This commissary was a man of very repulsive mien, with a pointed nose, with yellow and salient cheek bones, with eyes small but keen and penetrating, and an expression of countenance resembling at once the polecat and the fox.

View in context

In general appearance, the Zorillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger, and much thicker in proportion.

View in context

Fiel Estrella (The Philippine Star) - June 22, 2019 - 12:00am Polecats Manila's pole and aerial dance classes are just the thing you need to step out of your comfort zone and reach your limits.

Fit to be you and me

The few mammals that have increased in number in the past 20 years include deer, polecats, otters and wild boar.

1 in 5 Brit mammals are facing extinction; Shock of 1st major study since 90s

There is better news for some species, such as otters, whose range has expanded since the banning of pesticides which poisoned their river homes, and pine martens, polecats and badgers are recovering from former persecution.

Disease and loss of habitat put one in five British mammals at risk

Litters of youngsters, called kits, are born each year to the breeding polecats. American mink was brought over to Britain by fur farm operators.

British Wildlife Centre -- the animals you can see, opening times and visitor information for 2018; How to get to the centre near Lingfield, prices and what else there is to see and do

Tawny Owls have been recorded locally, while dormice and polecats are "likely" to be present.

'Enough is enough: a hen shed too far' Opposition to a poultry venture that's a post-Brexit lifeline for farm

The teenager, who plays for Halton Polecats, got the nod from the selectors for the European Championship qualifying tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.

Conor has perfect pitch for Polecats; baseball

From Amazon parrots to a Chinese water dragon, from a lovebird to polecats, in 2014, a total of 8,537 animals were rescued in Wales by the UK animal welfare charity.

Dragon among rescued animals

From Amazon parrots to a Chinese water dragon, from a lovebird to polecats, in 2014 a total of 8,537 animals were rescued in Wales by the UK animal welfare charity.