English Dictionary |
POLECAT
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Dictionary entry overview: What does polecat mean?
• POLECAT (noun)
The noun POLECAT has 2 senses:
1. American musteline mammal typically ejecting an intensely malodorous fluid when startled; in some classifications put in a separate subfamily Mephitinae
2. dark brown mustelid of woodlands of Eurasia that gives off an unpleasant odor when threatened
Familiarity information: POLECAT used as a noun is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
American musteline mammal typically ejecting an intensely malodorous fluid when startled; in some classifications put in a separate subfamily Mephitinae
Classified under:
Nouns denoting animals
Synonyms:
polecat; skunk; wood pussy
Hypernyms ("polecat" is a kind of...):
mustelid; musteline; musteline mammal (fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "polecat"):
Mephitis mephitis; striped skunk (most common and widespread North American skunk)
hooded skunk; Mephitis macroura (of Mexico and southernmost parts of southwestern United States)
badger skunk; Conepatus leuconotus; hog-nosed skunk; hognosed skunk; rooter skunk (large naked-muzzled skunk with white back and tail; of southwestern North America and Mexico)
little spotted skunk; Spilogale putorius; spotted skunk (small skunk with a marbled black and white coat; of United States and Mexico)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Dark brown mustelid of woodlands of Eurasia that gives off an unpleasant odor when threatened
Classified under:
Nouns denoting animals
Synonyms:
fitch; foulmart; foumart; Mustela putorius; polecat
Hypernyms ("polecat" is a kind of...):
mustelid; musteline; musteline mammal (fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "polecat"):
ferret (domesticated albino variety of the European polecat bred for hunting rats and rabbits)
Holonyms ("polecat" is a member of...):
genus Mustela; Mustela (type genus of the family Mustelidae: minks and weasels)
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