POLECAT

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 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 

• POLECAT (noun)

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)