noun · verb · 10 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
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈwiːz(ə)l/
General-American:wēʹzəl
General-American:wēzʹl
General-American:/ˈwizəl/
General-American:/ˈwizl̩/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -iːzəl
CMU ARPABET:W IY1 Z AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Any of the carnivorous mammals of the genera Mustela, Neogale, Poecilogale, and Lyncodon, having a slender body, a long tail and usually a light brown upper coat and light-coloured belly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A least weasel (Mustela nivalis).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Any of certain other species of the family Mustelidae.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A devious or sneaky person or animal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A type of yarn winder used for counting the yardage of handspun yarn; spinner's weasel. It most commonly has a wooden peg or dowel that pops up from the gearing mechanism after a certain number of yards have been wound onto the winder.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To achieve by clever or devious means.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To gain something for oneself by clever or devious means.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: reflexive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To engage in clever or devious behavior.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
small carnivorous mammal with short legs and elongated body and neck
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Narrower terms: ermine, shorttail weasel, Mustela erminea, New World least weasel, Mustela rixosa, Old World least weasel, Mustela nivalis, longtail weasel, long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata, muishond
10
noun
Meaning 10
a person who is regarded as treacherous or sneaky
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *wisulǭ Proto-West Germanic *wisulā Old English weosule Middle English wēsele English weasel From Middle English wesele, from Old English weosule, from Proto-West Germanic *wisulā, from Proto-Germanic *wisulǭ. The verb is from c. 1900, from the supposed cunningness of the weasel.
Across languages
Translations
164 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
nuselalë
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
bukël
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
bishtafurkë
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
furrëbubëz
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
larakuqe
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
nusebukur
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
nusëz
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
nusmirë
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Albanian:
nusël
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Algonquin:
cigosi
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Arabic:
اِبْن عِرْس
(ibn ʕirs)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Arabic:
عِرْسَة
(ʕirsa)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Arabic:
فارة الخيل
(farat el-khil)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Armenian:
աքիս
(akʻis)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Asturian:
mustadiella
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Asturian:
colleralba
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Asturian:
denunciella
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Asturian:
rataliga
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Azerbaijani:
gəlincik
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Bashkir:
йәтсә
(yətsə)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Basque:
erbinude
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Belarusian:
ла́ска
(láska)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Breton:
kaerell
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Bulgarian:
невесту́лка
(nevestúlka)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Catalan:
mostela
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Chinese Mandarin:
伶鼬
(língyòu)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Chinese Mandarin:
銀鼠 /银鼠
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Cimbrian:
bròiballe
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Czech:
lasice
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Danish:
væsel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Danish:
brud
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Dutch:
wezel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Esperanto:
vizelo
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Esperanto:
vizelino
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Estonian:
nirk
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Finnish:
lumikko
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
French:
belette
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
French:
belette d'Europe
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
French:
belette pygmée
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
French:
petite belette
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
French:
fouine
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
West-Frisian:
wezeling
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Galician:
denociña
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Galician:
doniña
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Galician:
donicela
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Georgian:
თრითინა
(tritina)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Georgian:
სინდიოფალა
(sindiopala)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Georgian:
დედოფალა
(dedopala)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
German:
Wiesel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
German:
Mauswiesel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
German:
Zwergwiesel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
German:
Kleinwiesel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
German:
Hermännchen
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Greek:
νυφίτσα
(nyfítsa)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Ancient Greek:
γαλέη
(galéē)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Ancient Greek:
γαλῆ
(galê)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Hebrew:
חָמוֹס
(ḥamós)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Hindi:
रासू
(rāsū)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Hungarian:
menyét
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Irish:
bláthnaid ghallda
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Italian:
donnola
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Japanese:
イタチ
(itachi)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Japanese:
鼬
(itachi)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Japanese:
鼬鼠
(itachi)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Japanese:
飯綱
(īzuna)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Korean:
족제비
(jokjebi)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Latgalian:
luoseica
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Latin:
mūstēla
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Latvian:
zebiekste
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Lithuanian:
žebenkštis
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Low German:
Wesel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Luxembourgish:
Wisel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Macedonian:
ла́сица
(lásica)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Malay:
wesel
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Māori:
tori uaroa
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Mazanderani:
لسک
(lesk)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Middle English:
wesele
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Navajo:
dlǫ́ʼii
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Occitan:
mostèla
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Old English:
weosule
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Persian:
راسو
(râsu)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Plautdietsch:
Elkj
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Polish:
łasica
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Portuguese:
doninha
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Romanian:
nevăstuică
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Russian:
ла́ска
(láska)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Scots:
whitrat
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Scottish Gaelic:
neas
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Scottish Gaelic:
neas bheag
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Serbo-Croatian:
ласица
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Serbo-Croatian:
lasica
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Sicilian:
baḍḍòttula
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Slovene:
podlasica
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Lower Sorbian:
łasyca
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Lower Sorbian:
łasycka
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Spanish:
comadreja
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Spanish:
mustela
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Spanish:
turón
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Swedish:
vessla
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Tagalog:
mustela
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Tewa:
yáy
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Thai:
เพียงพอน
(piiang-pɔɔn)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Tibetan:
ཟེ་མོ་སེར་པོ
(ze mo ser po)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Turkish:
gelincik
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Ukrainian:
ла́ска
(láska)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Ukrainian:
ла́сиця
(lásycja)
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Volapük:
visaf
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Walloon:
marcote
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Walloon:
bascolete
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Welsh:
gwenci
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Welsh:
bronwen
— least weasel, Mustela nivalis
Belarusian:
ла́ска
(láska)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Catalan:
visó
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Chinese Mandarin:
鼬鼠
(yòushǔ)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Esperanto:
mustelo
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Esperanto:
virmustelo
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Esperanto:
mustelino
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Esperanto:
mustelo
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Finnish:
kärppä
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
West-Frisian:
marter
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
German:
Wiesel
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Ancient Greek:
γαλέη
(galéē)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Ancient Greek:
γαλῆ
(galê)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Hungarian:
menyét
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Indonesian:
cerpelai
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Irish:
easóg
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Latvian:
sermulis
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Latvian:
zebiekste
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Māori:
wītara
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Māori:
wīhara
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Māori:
tori uaroa
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Middle English:
wesele
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Navajo:
dlǫ́ʼii
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Plautdietsch:
Elkj
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Portuguese:
doninha
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Quechua:
achuqalla
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Russian:
ла́ска
(láska)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Scottish Gaelic:
neas
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Tewa:
yáy
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Ukrainian:
ла́ска
(láska)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Ukrainian:
ла́сиця
(lásycja)
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Volapük:
visaf
— any mammal of the genus Mustela
Catalan:
mustèlid
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Esperanto:
musteledo
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Esperanto:
virmusteledo
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Esperanto:
musteledino
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Esperanto:
mustelo
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Finnish:
näätäeläin
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
German:
Marder
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Māori:
tori uaroa
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Māori:
tori
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Spanish:
comadreja
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Walloon:
bascolidî
— any mammal of the family Mustelidae
Finnish:
härveli
— yarn winder
Greek:
ανέμη
(anémi)
— yarn winder
Bulgarian:
клинча
(klinča)
— to weasel out of doing something
Finnish:
lusmuilla
— to weasel out of doing something
Finnish:
kiemurrella
— to weasel out of doing something
Hungarian:
kihúzza magát valamiből
— to weasel out of doing something
Polish:
wykręcić się
— to weasel out of doing something
Russian:
уви́ливать
(uvílivatʹ)
— to weasel out of doing something
Russian:
увильну́ть
(uvilʹnútʹ)
— to weasel out of doing something
Finnish:
huiputtaa
— to weasel something out of somebody
Finnish:
kieroilla
— to weasel something out of somebody
