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# polecat

noun (a polecat, polecats)

«polecat» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A polecat is a wild animal of the weasel family, with dark brown fur and a pale face mask, that gives off a strong smell when frightened. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#m1)
2. (USA) In the USA, «polecat» is an old country word for a skunk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#m2)
3. (old, insult) Calling someone a polecat once meant they were nasty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science lessons it is a carnivore of Europe; the pet ferret comes from it. In US stories, a «polecat» may be a skunk. Phrases: European polecat.

### Examples

- The polecat hunted rabbits at night. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x1)
- Pet ferrets are related to polecats. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x2)
- Polecats live in Britain and Europe. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x3)
- The polecat has a dark mask on its face. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x4)
- (USA) Grandpa called the skunk a polecat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x5)
- A frightened polecat gives off a nasty smell. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x6)
- She had a mane like a horse, horns like a deer, a face like a bear, eyes like a polecat; while her body had something of each. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/#x7)

### Note

Countable: polecats. It is not a cat and has nothing to do with poles; the name may come from old French for chicken, because it ate hens.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «polecat» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/polecat/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«polecat» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/polecat.html) on Mova free.