ermine

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A weasel (Mustela erminea) of northern regions, having a black-tipped tail and dark brown fur that in winter changes to white.
2. n. The commercially valuable white fur of this animal.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The stoat, Putorius erminea, a small, slender, short-legged carnivorous quadruped of the weasel family, Mustelidæ, and order Feræ, found throughout the northerly and cold temperate parts of the northern hemisphere. The term is specially applied to the condition of the animal when it is white with a black tip to the tail, a change from the ordinary reddish-brown color, occurring in winter in most latitudes inhabited by the animal. The ermine is a near relative of the weasel, the ferret, and the European polecat, all of which belong to the same genus. There are several allied species or varieties of the stoat which turn white in winter and yield a fur known as ermine. The ermine fur of commerce is chiefly obtained from northern Europe, Siberia, and British America, and is in great request. See stoat.
2. n. In entomology, one of several arctiid moths: so called by English collectors. The buff ermine is Arctia lubricipeda; the water-ermine is A. urticæ.
3. n. The fur of the ermine, especially as prepared for ornamental purposes, by having the black of the tail inserted at regular intervals so that it contrasts with the pure white of the fur. The fur, with or without the black spots, is used for lining and facing certain official and ceremonial garments, especially, in England, the robes of judges.
4. n. Hence The office or dignity of a judge, and especially the perfect rectitude and fairness of mind essential to the judge's office: as, he kept his ermine unspotted.
5. n. In heraldry, one of the furs, represented with its peculiar spots black on a while ground (argent, Spots sable). The black spots are indeterminate in number. In some cases a single spot suffices for one surface: thus, in a mantling ermine the dags have each one spot in the middle. Abbreviated er.
6. To cover with or as with ermine.
7. n. An Armenian.
8. In heraldry, composed of four ermine spots: said of a cross so formed. This cross is always sable on a field argent, and this need not be mentioned in the blazon; it is also blazoned four ermine spots in cross.

Wiktionary

1. n. A weasel, Mustela erminea, found in northern latitudes; its dark brown fur turns white in winter (apart from the black tip of the tail)
2. n. The white fur of this animal
3. n. poetic A symbol of purity
4. n. figuratively The office of a judge
5. n. heraldry A white field with black spots
6. v. To clothe with ermine

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoöl.) A valuable fur-bearing animal of the genus Mustela (M. erminea), allied to the weasel; the stoat. It is found in the northern parts of Asia, Europe, and America. In summer it is brown, but in winter it becomes white, except the tip of the tail, which is always black.
2. n. The fur of the ermine, as prepared for ornamenting garments of royalty, etc., by having the tips of the tails, which are black, arranged at regular intervals throughout the white.
3. n. By metonymy, the office or functions of a judge, whose state robe, lined with ermine, is emblematical of purity and honor without stain.
4. n. (Her.) One of the furs. See Fur (Her.)
5. v. To clothe with, or as with, ermine.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the expensive white fur of the ermine
2. n. mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coat