Etymology : Middle English, from Old French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German harmo weasel
Pronunciation : '&r-m&n
Function : noun
Date : 12th century
1. type of weasel; fur or pelt from an ermine. ermine\er"mine\, v. t. to clothe with, or as with, ermine. the snows that have ermined it in the winter.ermine \er"mine\ , n. [of. ermine, f. hermine, prob. of german origin; cf. ohg. harmo, g. hermelin, akin to lith. szarm , szarmonys, weasel, cf. as. hearma; but cf. also ll. armelinus, armellina, hermellina, and pellis armenia, the fur of the armenian rat, mus armenius, the animal being found also in armenia.].
2. (zo?l.) a valuable fur-bearing animal of the genus mustela (m. erminea), allied to the weasel; the stoat. it is found in the northern parts of asia, europe, and america. in summer it is brown, but in winter it becomes white, except the tip of the tail, which is always black.
3. the fur of the ermine, as prepared for ornamenting garments of royalty, etc., by having the tips of the tails, which are black, arranged at regular intervals throughout the white.
4. by metonymy, the office or functions of a judge, whose state robe, lined with ermine, is emblematical of purity and honor without stain. hatham.
5. (her.) one of the furs. see:
fur (her.)note: ermine is represented by an argent field, tufted with black. ermines is the reverse of ermine, being black, spotted or timbered with argent. erminois is the same as ermine, except that or is substituted for argent.ermine moth (zo?l.), a white moth with black spots (esp. yponomeuta padella of europe); -- so called on account of the resemblance of its covering to the fur of the ermine; also applied to certain white bombycid moths of america.
6. A valuable fur-bearing animal of the genus Mustela , allied to the weasel; the stoat.
7. It is found in the northern parts of Asia, Europe, and America.
8. In summer it is brown, but in winter it becomes white, except the tip of the tail, which is always black.
9. The fur of the ermine, as prepared for ornamenting garments of royalty, etc., by having the tips of the tails, which are black, arranged at regular intervals throughout the white.
10. By metonymy, the office or functions of a judge, whose state robe, lined with ermine, is emblematical of purity and honor without stain.
11. One of the furs.
12. See Fur To clothe with, or as with, ermine. mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coat the expensive white fur of the ermine.
13. Ermine is expensive white fur that comes from small animals called stoats. or stoat Species of the weasel family (Mustela erminea). Its white winter coat has historically adorned royal robes and is still used in the fur trade. Ermines are found in North America and northern Eurasia. They are most abundant in thickets, woodland, and semitimbered areas. In summer they are brown, with whitish throat, chest, and belly. Species are 5-12 in. (13-29 cm) long (excluding the 2-5-in., or 5-12-cm, tail) and weigh less than 11 oz (0.3 kg). Voracious carnivores, ermines feed on small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, and, occasionally, invertebrates.