1. Domesticated albino variety of the European polecat bred for hunting rats and rabbits
   "The ferret sniffed out the rabbit's burrow"
    
2. Musteline mammal of prairie regions of United States; nearly extinct
   "Conservation efforts helped save the black-footed ferret from extinction";
   - black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes

1. Search and discover through persistent investigation
   "She ferreted out the truth";
   - ferret out
    
2. Hunt with ferrets
   "They ferret rabbits in the countryside"
    
3. Hound or harry relentlessly
   "The detective ferreted out the truth"

Derived forms: ferreted, ferreting, ferrets

Type of: discover, find, fitch [archaic], fitchew [archaic], foulmart [archaic], foumart [archaic], hound, hunt, hunt down, Mustela putorius, mustelid, musteline, musteline mammal, polecat, run, trace, track down

Part of: genus Mustela, Mustela

Encyclopedia: Ferret