Standard Lemma guide

ermine

adj · noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɜːmɪn/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈɝmɪn/
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)mɪn
  • CMU ARPABET: ER1 M AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In blazon, of the colour ermine (white with black spots).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A weasel found in northern latitudes (Mustela erminea in Eurasia, Alaska, and the Arctic, Mustela haidarum in Haida Gwaii, Mustela richardsonii in the rest of North America); its dark brown fur turns white in winter, apart from the black tip of the tail.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The white fur of this animal, traditionally seen as a symbol of purity and used for judges' robes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The office of a judge.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, countable, figuratively, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The fur of this animal, used as a heraldic tincture: a white field with a repeating pattern of stylized black spots.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Any of various moths, especially in the family Yponomeutidae

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To clothe with ermine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coat

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shorttail weasel, Mustela erminea

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: weasel

Narrower terms: stoat

9

noun

Meaning 9

the expensive white fur of the ermine

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fur, pelt

History

Etymology

From Middle English ermine, ermin, ermyn, from Old French ermin, ermine, hermine. There are two main theories for the origin of Old French ermine. Germanic origin is suggested via Old Dutch *harmino (“stoat skin”), from *harmo (“stoat, weasel”) (compare Dutch hermelijn and dialectal herm), from Proto-Germanic *harmǭ, *harmô (compare Old English hearma, Old High German harmo (harmin (adjective), obsolete German Harm), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱormō (compare Romansh carmun, obsolete Lithuanian šarmuõ). Romance sources identify the animal with the corresponding word for Armenian, possibly from Medieval Latin mūs Armenius (“Armenian mouse”) or a posterior compound.

Across languages

Translations

148 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: hermelínový — of white colour with black spots on a coat of arms
  • Danish: hermelin — of white colour with black spots on a coat of arms
  • Swedish: hermelin — of white colour with black spots on a coat of arms
  • Ahtna: nihbaay — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Albanian: ermelina — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Albanian: nuselalë e borës — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Albanian: nuselalë bishtzezë — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Southern Altai: агас (agas) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Southern Altai: ас (as) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Arabic: قَاقِم (qāqim) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Armenian: կնգում (kngum) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Armenian: սպիտակ աքիս (spitak akʻis) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Armenian: ախազ (axaz) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Armeno-Kipchak: ախ աս — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Asturian: mustadiella blanca — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Asturian: papalbina — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Azerbaijani: qaqum — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Bashkir: аҫ (aś) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Basque: erbinude zuri — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Belarusian: гарнаста́й (harnastáj) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Breton: erminig — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Bulgarian: хермелин (hermelin) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Catalan: ermini — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Chinese Mandarin: 白鼬 (báiyòu) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Chukchi: эмчьачокаԓгын (ėmčʹačokaḷgyn) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Czech: hranostaj — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Danish: hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Danish: lækat — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Dutch: hermelijn — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Esperanto: ermeno — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Estonian: kärp — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Estonian: lahits — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Estonian: hermeliin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Faroese: roysikøttur — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Finnish: kärppä — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • French: hermine — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • West-Frisian: harmeling — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Friulian: armelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Galician: armiño — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Georgian: ყარყუმი (q̇arq̇umi) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • German: Hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Greek: ερμίνα (ermína) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Greenlandic: ukaliatsiaq — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Hungarian: hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Hungarian: hölgymenyét — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Icelandic: hreysiköttur — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Interlingua: armenio — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Irish: easóg — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Irish: cailín bán — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Irish: bláthnaid — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Italian: ermellino — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Japanese: おこじょ (okojo) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Kazakh: ақкіс (aqkıs) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Komi-Permyak: чужмӧр (ćužmör) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Komi Yazva: чужмөр (ćužmår) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Komi-Zyrian: сьӧдбӧж (śödböž) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Komi-Zyrian: чужмӧр (ćužmör) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Korean: 북방족제비 (bukbangjokjebi) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Central Kurdish: قاقِم (qaqim) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Central Kurdish: قاقوم (qaqum) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Northern Kurdish: fisos — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Northern Kurdish: ququme — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Ladin: armelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Latin: Mustela erminea — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Latvian: sermulis — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Lithuanian: šermuonėlis — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Macedonian: хермели́н (hermelín) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Macedonian: ермели́н (ermelín) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Maltese: ermellin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Māori: toriura — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Mongolian: үен (üjen) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Mongolian: ᠦᠶᠡᠩ (üyeng) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Navajo: dlǫ́ʼiiłgaii — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Norman: b'lette — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Norwegian Bokmål: røyskatt — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: røyskatt — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: røysekatt — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Occitan: ermina — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Old English: hearma — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Persian: قاقم (qâqom) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Polish: gronostaj — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Portuguese: arminho — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Romani: ermina — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Romanian: hermelină — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Romanian: hermină — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Romansh: ermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Russian: горноста́й (gornostáj) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Northern Sami: buoidda — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Skolt-Sami: puõiddi — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Sardinian: ermellinu — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Scottish Gaelic: neas — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Scottish Gaelic: neas mhòr — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Serbo-Croatian: хермѐлӣн — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Serbo-Croatian: зѐрда̄в — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Serbo-Croatian: hermèlīn — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Serbo-Croatian: zèrdāv — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Shor: ас (as) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Slovak: hranostaj — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Slovene: hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Lower Sorbian: hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Upper Sorbian: hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Upper Sorbian: hronostaj — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Spanish: armiño — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Swedish: hermelin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Swedish: lekatt — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Tagalog: arminyo — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Lower Tanana: choghozrena — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Turkish: as — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Turkish: kakım — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Turkish: ermin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Ottoman Turkish: قاقم (kakım) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Udmurt: ӵӧжмер (čöžmer) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Udmurt: сьӧдбыж (śödbyž) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Udmurt: тӧдьычайы (töďyćajy) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Ukrainian: горноста́й (hornostáj) — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Volapük: härmin — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Welsh: carlwm — Mustela erminea, M. richardsonii, M. haidarum
  • Armenian: ախազ (axaz) — the white fur of this animal
  • Old Armenian: կնգմենի (kngmeni) — the white fur of this animal
  • Bulgarian: хермелин (hermelin) — the white fur of this animal
  • Czech: hermelín — the white fur of this animal
  • Finnish: kärpännahka — the white fur of this animal
  • Finnish: hermeliini — the white fur of this animal
  • French: hermine — the white fur of this animal
  • Georgian: ყარყუმი (q̇arq̇umi) — the white fur of this animal
  • German: Hermelin — the white fur of this animal
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hermelin — the white fur of this animal
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: hermelin — the white fur of this animal
  • Polish: gronostaje — the white fur of this animal
  • Romanian: hermină — the white fur of this animal
  • Russian: горноста́й (gornostáj) — the white fur of this animal
  • Spanish: armiño — the white fur of this animal
  • Volapük: (untanned) härminaskin — the white fur of this animal
  • Volapük: härminapläd — the white fur of this animal
  • Volapük: visafot — the white fur of this animal
  • Spanish: armiño — a symbol of purity
  • Czech: hermelín — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Dutch: hermelijn — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Finnish: kärpännahka — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • French: hermine — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • German: Hermelin — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Italian: armellino — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Macedonian: хермели́н (hermelín) — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Polish: gronostaj — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Romanian: herminat — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Spanish: armiño — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Swedish: hermelin — (heraldry) a white field with black spots
  • Finnish: kehrääjäkoi — moths of the family Yponomeutidae