Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “ermine” come from?

ermine (Middle English) comes from Old French ermin, from Latin Armenius, from Ancient Greek Ἀρμένιος, from Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴.

ermine (Middle English): Alternative form of ermyn

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of ermyn

Ancestry of “ermine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchermin—
2LatinArmeniusArmenian mouse
3Ancient GreekἈρμένιοςArmenian
4Old Persian𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴—

Words derived from “ermine”

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