a : any of several weasels whose coats become white in winter usually with black on the tip of the tail especially : a weasel (Mustela erminea) chiefly of northern Eurasia and North America that has a short tail, is found in varied habitats (such as forest, grassland, and tundra), and preys especially on small mammals ...

What does the word ermine mean in English?

An ermine is a wild animal, a small mammal with a very soft winter coat. ... Another word for an ermine is a stoat. A coat made from an ermine's skin is also called an ermine.

What does ermine mean in history?

an Old World weasel, Mustela erminea, having in its winter color phase a white coat with black at the tip of the tail. ... the rank, position, or status of a king, peer, or judge, especially one in certain European countries who wears, or formerly wore, a robe trimmed with ermine, as on official or state occasions.