different between polecat vs mink

English

Etymology

From Middle French pole (“hen”) + cat. Origin unknown, possible explanations include its fondness for poultry, or the Old English word fol, "foul", because of its smell. The same species was also known as folmart, "foul martin".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p??lkæt/

Noun

polecat (plural polecats)

1. A weasel-like animal of the genus Mustela.
   1. notably, the European polecat, Mustela putorius.
      • 1919, Ronald Firbank, Valmouth, Duckworth, hardback edition, page 61

        By the little garden pergola open to the winds some fluttered peacocks were blotted nervelessly amid the dripping trees, their heads sunk back beneath their wings: while in the pergola itself, like a fallen storm-cloud, lolled a negress, her levelled, polecat eyes semi-veiled by the nebulous alchemy of the rainbow.

      Synonyms: fitch, foumart

2. (US, dialects, including Appalachia) A skunk.
3. (television) A tubular device used to support lights on a set.
   • 1991, Gerald Millerson, The Technique of Lighting for Television and Film (page 323)

     This is adjustable telescopic tubing, wedged securely between floor and ceiling (vertical pole) or wall-to-wall (horizontal pole), within corridors, arches, window openings, doorways, etc. It may be held in position by a strong internal spring or end-screws. Designs include polecat, varipole, barricuda, jack tube, Acrow.

   • 2013, Alan Bermingham, Location Lighting for Television (page 196)

     This uses a battery-operated HMI/MSR 200 W rigged on a magic arm fastened to a vertical 'pole-cat'. Check that the car roof is suitable for this application and remember to include a clean card (beer mat) between the top of the pole-cat and the car roof!

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• polecat on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• colpate, pot lace

English

Etymology

From Late Middle English mink (“fur of the European mink”), apparently from Swedish mink, mänk, menk (“stinking animal in Finland, mink”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: m?ngk, IPA^(key): /m??k/
• Rhymes: -??k

Noun

mink (plural mink or minks)

1. (plural mink or minks) Any of various semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American mink (Neovison vison) and the European mink (Mustela lutreola).
2. (plural mink) The fur or pelt of a mink, used to make apparel.
3. (plural minks) An article of clothing made of mink.
4. (Scotland, slang, derogatory) (plural minks) An individual with poor personal hygiene; a smelly person.

Alternative forms

• minx (obsolete)

Hyponyms

• (mammal): American mink (Neovison vison), European mink (Mustela lutreola)

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• polecat

References

Further reading

• mink on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• mink (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Danish

Noun

mink c (singular definite minken, plural indefinite mink)

1. mink

References

• “mink” in Den Danske Ordbog

Estonian

Etymology 1

From English mink.

Noun

mink (genitive mingi, partitive minki)

1. American mink, Neovison vison

Declension

Synonyms

• ameerika naarits

Etymology 2

From German Schminke.

Noun

mink (genitive mingi, partitive minki)

1. (dated) makeup, cosmetics

Declension

Synonyms

• meik

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?mi?k]
• Hyphenation: mink
• Rhymes: -i?k

Etymology 1

Pronoun

mink

1. (personal, folksy) Alternative form of mi (“we”).

Declension

Etymology 2

mi (“what”) +? -nk (“our, of ours”, possessive suffix)

Pronoun

mink

1. first-person plural single-possession possessive of mi

Declension

Further reading

• (“we”; dialectal) mink , redirecting to (1): mi in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh: A magyar nyelv értelmez? szótára (’The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: ?ISBN

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m??k/

Etymology 1

From English mink.

Noun

mink m (definite singular minken, indefinite plural minkar, definite plural minkane)

1. an American mink, Neovison vison or Mustela vison
   • 1928, Edv. Ryste, Mink-al:

     Å ala mink er eit gildt arbeid for alle som er glade i dyr; for det er eit vakkert dyr med mange tiltalande eigenskapar […]

     Breeding mink is pleasant work for everyone who loves animals; as it is a beautiful animal with many appealing properties […]

Etymology 2

Verb

mink

1. imperative of minka

References

• “mink” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from Finnish or another Uralic language in a region where the mink is found.

Noun

mink c

1. American mink (Neovison vison).

Declension

References

• Hogg & Denison (2008): A History of the English Language