noun
type genus of the family Mustelidae: minks and weasels
• Syn: ↑genus Mustela
• Hypernyms: ↑mammal genus
• Member Holonyms: ↑Mustelidae, ↑family Mustelidae
• Member Meronyms:
↑weasel, ↑mink, ↑polecat, ↑fitch, ↑foulmart, ↑foumart, ↑Mustela putorius, ↑black-footed ferret, ↑ferret, ↑Mustela nigripes
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\\ˌməˈstēlə\ nounUsage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, weasel, probably from mus mouse + -tela (origin unknown) — more at mouse
: a genus of carnivorous mammals (the type of the family Mustelidae) comprising active predators and valuable furbearers
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Mustela /mu-stēˈlə/
noun
The marten genus, giving name to the family Musteˈlidae (otters, badgers and weasels) and the subfamily Mustelīˈnae (weasels and martens)
ORIGIN: L mustēla weasel
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musˈteline /-təl-īn/ adjective and noun
Useful english dictionary. 2012.