Mustelid
/ˈmʌstəlɪd/noun
A mammal in the weasel family, including weasels, otters, badgers, martens, and ferrets.
Did you know?The family name Mustelidae ultimately comes from Latin mustela, the weasel, and the same root gave rise to a long history of naming sharp, elusive animals that humans treated with a mix of fascination and suspicion.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
mustela
“weasel”
Late Latin
Latin
mustelida
“of or belonging to weasels”
19th Century
English
mustelid
“a member of the weasel family”
Modern English
English
mustelid
“any carnivorous mammal of the weasel family”