er·mine / ˈərmən/ • n. (pl. same or ermines ) a stoat, esp. when in its white winter coat. ∎  the white fur of the stoat, used for trimming garments, esp. ceremonial robes. ∎  Heraldry fur represented as black spots on a white ground, as a heraldic tincture.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French hermine, probably from medieval Latin (mus) Armenius ‘Armenian (mouse).’

ermine stoat XII; fur of this, often having the black tails arrayed upon it XIII. — OF. (h)ermine (mod. hermine), :- medL. (mũs) Armenius ‘Armenian mouse’, equiv. to L. mũs Ponticus ‘mouse of Pontus’ (Armenia and Pontus were conterminous). But contact with similar Gmc. words is possible, viz. OHG. harmĩn adj., f. harmo stoat, weasel (G. harme) = OE. hearma (etc.).

ermine a stoat, especially in its white winter coat. The word comes through Old French, and probably derives ultimately from medieval Latin (mus) Armenius ‘Armenian (mouse)’.

Ermine also denotes the white fur of the stoat, used for trimming garments, especially the ceremonial robes of judges or peers; in heraldry, it is fur represented as black spots on a white ground, as a heraldic tincture (the spots represent the dark tips of the ermines' tails, and are usually elaborated into short vertical lines with small curved projections, often with (usually three) smaller dots above).

ermine Known as a stoat in Eurasia, or short-tailed weasel in North America.

ermine
1. See ARCTIIDAE.

2. See MUSTELIDAE.