What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Ferret vs Stoat - What's the difference?

ferret | stoat |

As nouns the difference between ferret and stoat

is that ferret is an often domesticated mammal rather like a weasel, descended from the polecat and often trained to hunt burrowing animals while stoat is species: Mustela erminea, the ermine or short-tailed weasel, a mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip.

As a verb ferret

is to hunt game with ferrets.

ferret

English

(wikipedia ferret)

Etymology 1

(etyl) furet, ferret, from (etyl) firet, furet, diminutive of (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An often domesticated mammal rather like a weasel, descended from the polecat and often trained to hunt burrowing animals.
  • The (black-footed ferret), .
  • A diligent searcher.
    • Synonyms
    * (domesticated polecat) Mustela putorius furo

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hunt game with ferrets.
  • To uncover and bring to light by searching; usually to ferret out .
  • * Shakespeare
    • Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.
  • * 1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Chapter 1
    • She ferreted in her bag; then held it up mouth downwards; then fumbled in her lap, all so vigorously that Charles Steele in the Panama hat suspended his paint-brush.

    See also

    *

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) fioretto

    Noun

  • (dated) A tape of silk, cotton, or ribbon, used to tie documents, clothing, etc. or along the edge of fabric.
  • * Charles Dickens, Bleak House
    • red tape and green ferret
    ----

    stoat

    English

    (wikipedia stoat)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • , the ermine or short-tailed weasel, a mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip.
  • * 1886 , Transactions of the Edinburgh Naturalists' Field Club , Volume 1, page 135,
    • I have never seen Stoats' hunt in packs, but it is certain both Weasels and ' Stoats do so.
  • * 2003 , John Long, Introduced Mammals of the World: Their History, Distribution and Influence , page 272,
    • In 1953 it was reported that the stoat had increased to a high population level, but that the weasel introduced at the same time had disappeared (de Vos et al. 1956).
  • * 2005 , T. C. R. White, Why Does the World Stay Green?: Nutrition and Survival of Plant-eaters , page 91,
    • European stoats were long ago introduced to New Zealand (along with ferrets and weasels!) in the mistaken belief that they would control the burgeoning populations of introduced rabbits.

    Synonyms

    * (Mustela erminea) ermine (especially when in white winter coat), short-tailed weasel (US)

    Anagrams

    * *