I. ˈfer-ət noun
Etymology: Middle English furet, ferret, from Anglo-French firet, furet, from Vulgar Latin * furittus, literally, little thief, diminutive of Latin fur thief — more at furtive
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a domesticated usually albino, brownish, or silver-gray animal ( Mustela putorius furo ) that is descended from the European polecat
b. : black-footed ferret
2. : an active and persistent searcher
• fer·rety -ə-tē adjective
II. verb
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb
1. : to hunt with ferrets
2. : to search about
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to hunt (as rabbits) with ferrets
(2) : to force out of hiding : flush
b. : to find and bring to light by searching — usually used with out
ferret out the answers
2. : harry , worry
• fer·ret·er noun
III. noun
Etymology: probably modification of Italian fioretti floss silk, from plural of fioretto, diminutive of fiore flower, from Latin flor-, flos — more at blow
Date: 1649
: a narrow cotton, silk, or wool tape — called also ferreting