Ferrets Were Domesticated for Hunting Rabbits
A ferret is a domesticated polecat. Its name means little thief, and to ferret something out is exactly what it does.
A ferret is a domesticated polecat, kept for centuries to drive rabbits from their burrows. The name fits the work: it comes from Latin *fur*, a thief, so a ferret is a little thief. The verb follows directly — to *ferret out* information is to search it out of hiding, exactly as the animal does underground.
- A domesticated polecat. *A working ferret.*
- To search out. *Ferret out the truth.*
- Ferreting — hunting with ferrets. *Went ferreting.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | ferret | A tame ferret. |
| Plural | ferrets | Two ferrets. |
| Verb | ferret | Ferret it out. |
| Group | business | A business of ferrets. |
| Related | polecat | A wild polecat. |
How it is used in a sentence
- She ferreted out the original document.Searched persistently.
- A group of ferrets is a business.A collective noun.
- Ferrets were used to run cables through ducts.Including at a royal wedding broadcast.
Ferret facts
- Domesticated — for well over two thousand years
- Hob and jill — the male and female
- Kit — a young ferret
- Business — the collective noun
- Sleep — ferrets sleep for much of the day
From Old French *fuiret*, from Latin *furittus*, little thief, from *fur*, a thief — related to *furtive*.
Are ferret and furtive related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *fur*, a thief. Furtive means behaving like one.
What does *ferret out* mean?
To discover something by persistent searching, as a ferret drives quarry from a burrow.