Ferreted
/ˈfɛr.ɪtɪd/noun
Searched for and found by persistent, careful investigation.
Did you know?The verb comes from the animal ferret, whose name likely traces back through Old French to a Latin root for a small, fierce creature, and English turned that into a word for relentless searching.
Etymological Timeline
Late 14th Century
English
ferret
“The small domesticated hunting animal used to drive prey from burrows.”
Late 14th Century
English
ferret out
“To drive out of hiding; later, to discover by persistent search.”
Early Modern English
English
ferreted
“Hunted out, driven out, or discovered by close searching.”
Modern English
English
ferreted
“Found after patient investigation or digging.”