Polecat

Pronunciation: /poʊlkæt/

Definitions of polecat

noun a small carnivorous mammal of the weasel family, with a long body, a pointed face, and dark fur with a white band across the forehead

Example Sentences

A1 A polecat is a small mammal with a long body and short legs.

A2 Polecats are known for their ability to hunt rodents and small animals.

B1 The polecat is a member of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels and otters.

B2 Polecats have a musky odor that they use for defense against predators.

C1 Conservation efforts have helped increase the population of polecats in recent years.

C2 Researchers are studying the behavior and ecology of polecats in their natural habitat.

Examples of polecat in a Sentence

formal The polecat is a small mammal that belongs to the weasel family.

informal I saw a polecat running across the road last night.

slang Watch out for that polecat, it's known for its strong odor!

figurative The politician was described as a polecat by his opponents.

Grammatical Forms of polecat

• past tense: polecatted
• plural: polecats
• comparative: more polecat
• superlative: most polecat
• present tense: polecat
• future tense: will polecat
• perfect tense: have polecatted
• continuous tense: is polecatting
• singular: polecat
• positive degree: polecat
• infinitive: to polecat
• gerund: polecatting
• participle: polecatted

Origin and Evolution of polecat

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'polecat' originated from the Old French word 'poulecat', which was derived from the Latin word 'putorius', meaning 'foul-smelling'.

Evolution of the word: Initially used to refer to the European polecat, the term 'polecat' later came to be used more broadly to describe various species of the Mustelidae family, such as skunks and ferrets, due to their similar appearance and scent glands.