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Ermine Er"mine, n. [OF. ermine, F. hermine, prob. of German
origin; cf. OHG. harmo, G. hermelin, akin to Lith. szarm?,
szarmonys, weasel, cf. AS. hearma; but cf. also LL.
armelinus, armellina, hermellina, and pellis Armenia, the fur
of the Armenian rat, mus Armenius, the animal being found
also in Armenia.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A valuable fur-bearing animal of the genus
Mustela (M. erminea), allied to the weasel; the stoat.
It is found in the northern parts of Asia, Europe, and
America. In summer it is brown, but in winter it becomes
white, except the tip of the tail, which is always black.

2. The fur of the ermine, as prepared for ornamenting
garments of royalty, etc., by having the tips of the
tails, which are black, arranged at regular intervals
throughout the white.

3. By metonymy, the office or functions of a judge, whose
state robe, lined with ermine, is emblematical of purity
and honor without stain. --Chatham.

4. (Her.) One of the furs. See Fur (Her.)

Note: Ermine is represented by an argent field, tufted with
black. Ermines is the reverse of ermine, being black,
spotted or timbered with argent. Erminois is the same
as ermine, except that or is substituted for argent.

Ermine moth (Zo["o]l.), a white moth with black spots (esp.
Yponomeuta padella of Europe); -- so called on account
of the resemblance of its covering to the fur of the
ermine; also applied to certain white bombycid moths of
America.