polecat
noun
poleĀ·cat
| \ ĖpÅl-Ėkat
\
\
plural polecats
or polecat
Definition of polecat
1
: any of several carnivorous mammals (as of the genera Mustela or Vormela) of the weasel family
especially
: a brown to black European mammal (M. putorius) from which the domesticated ferret is derived
2
: skunk
Examples of polecat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The population of animals like polecats, pine martens and badgers have sprung back, now that they are not longer widely trapped or killed for being pests. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "The UKās Hedgehogs (and Other Mammals) Are In Danger," 16 June 2018 The species cannot survive without reproducing quickly, since most hamsters only live a year or two before falling prey to a fox, polecat or raptor. — Ben Crair, Smithsonian, "Why Are These Hamsters Cannibalizing Their Young?," 21 Feb. 2018 They are related generally to weasels, skunks, minks and polecats (not to be confused with Old West outlaws of a lesser rank with the same name). — Fred Dickey, sandiegouniontribune.com, "He's fighting to make ferrets legal in California," 3 Sep. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'polecat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for polecat
polecat
noun
English Language Learners Definition of polecat
: a European animal that has dark brown fur and a long thin body and that gives off a bad smell to defend itself
See the full definition for polecat in the English Language Learners Dictionary
polecat
noun
poleĀ·cat
| \ ĖpÅl-Ėkat
\
\
plural polecats
or polecat
Kids Definition of polecat
1
: a brown or black European animal related to the weasel
2
: skunk
Keep scrolling for more