Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ermine” come from?

Ermine comes from Middle English ermine, from Old French ermine, from Proto-Germanic harmô, from Proto-Indo-European ḱormen-, meaning to harm or destroy.

ermine (English): A weasel, "Mustela erminea", found in northern...

Definitions

  1. A weasel, "Mustela erminea", found in northern...

Ancestry of “ermine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishermineAlternative form of ermyn
2Old Frenchermin—
3LatinArmeniusArmenian mouse
4Ancient GreekἈρμένιοςArmenian
5Old Persian𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴—

Words derived from “ermine”

  • ermined
  • counter-ermine
  • erminelike
Every word from Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴 →