Illustration of ermine
- winter coat
plural ermines
1
or plural ermine
a
: any of several weasels whose coats become white in winter usually with black on the tip of the tail
especially
: a weasel (Mustela erminea) chiefly of northern Eurasia and North America that has a short tail, is found in varied habitats (such as forest, grassland, and tundra), and preys especially on small mammals (such as voles and mice) : short-tailed weasel, stoat
b
: the white fur of the ermine
2
: a rank or office whose ceremonial or official robe is ornamented with ermine
Examples of ermine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In June 2023, Theo Bosboom heard about an explosive proliferation of willow ermine moth caterpillars along the river Waal near Boven-Leeuwen, Netherlands, not far from his hometown.
—
Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
As the Pages of Honor knelt to adjust the ermine and velvet robe, one reached for a section of the robe by the monarch's hand before pulling away.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 18 July 2024
Her eyes shut, she was draped in a robe with ermine trim, with an inkpot sitting on her skirt and one hand resting on an open book.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2024
Along with reintroduction efforts, the project aimed to reduce threats from European stoats, also known as ermines.
—Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
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Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
As the Pages of Honor knelt to adjust the ermine and velvet robe, one reached for a section of the robe by the monarch's hand before pulling away.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 18 July 2024
Her eyes shut, she was draped in a robe with ermine trim, with an inkpot sitting on her skirt and one hand resting on an open book.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2024
Along with reintroduction efforts, the project aimed to reduce threats from European stoats, also known as ermines.
—Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ermine
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Cite this Entry
“Ermine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ermine. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ermine
noun
er·mine
ˈər-mən 
plural ermine or ermines
1
: any of several weasels with black on the tail and a brown coat of fur which usually becomes white in the winter
2
: the white fur of an ermine
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