释义 |
er·mine I. \ˈərmə̇n, ˈə̄m-, ˈəim-\ noun (-s ; see sense 1) Etymology: Middle English, from Old French ermine, hermine, modification (influenced by ermin, hermin Armenian, from Latin Armenius) of a Germanic word akin to Old English hearma weasel, Old Saxon & Old High German harmo weasel; akin to Rhaeto-Romanic carmún weasel, Lithuanian šarmuõ, šermuõ weasel, and perhaps to Old High German hornunc February, Old Norse hjarn frozen snow, Lithuanian šir̃vas gray; basic meaning: gray, white 1. or plural ermine : any of several weasels that assume white winter pelage usually with more or less black on the tail: a. : a large European weasel (Mustela erminea) — called also stoat b. : least weasel c. : any of the more northerly dwelling forms of the long-tailed weasel; especially : new york weasel 2. a. : the fine white fur of the ermine in winter pelage prized for ornament (as on the official robes of judges and peers) b. : a trimming or garment made of ermine 3. : a rank (as of a king or lord) or office (as of a judge) of which the ceremonial or official robe is ornamented with ermine emblematic of authority and dignity or of purity and honor 4. a. : a heraldic fur consisting of black spots of one of various conventional shapes representing ermine tails set on a white field b. : any of the heraldic furs having ermine spots — see ermines, erminites, erminois, pean [ermine 1a: winter coat] II. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French ermin, ermine, hermin, hermine, from ermine, hermine, n. 1. a. : of or relating to the ermine or its fur b. : of the heraldic fur ermine — abbr. erm. 2. : pure white |