Where does “polecat” come from?

polecat (English) comes from Middle French pole, from Old French pole, from Latin polus, from Ancient Greek πόλος, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.

polecat (English): A weasel-like animal of the genus Mustela; A...

Definitions

A weasel-like animal of the genus Mustela; A...

Ancestry of “polecat”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Middle French	pole	hen
2	Old French	pole	—
3	Latin	polus	pole
4	Ancient Greek	πόλος	pivot, hinge, axis, pole; axis of the celestial...
5	Proto-Indo-European	kʷel-	to turn

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- →