weasel

1. Any of various carnivorous mammals of the genus Mustela, having a long slender body, a long tail, short legs, and brownish fur that in many species turns white in winter.
2. A person regarded as sneaky or treacherous.

weasel out Informal.

1. To back out of a situation or commitment in a sneaky or cowardly manner.

[Middle English wesele, from Old English wesle.]

The common name for at least 12 species of carnivores which are members of the family Mustelidae. They have a varied distribution in many regions of the world (see table).

The common or European weasel is Mustela nivalis. This animal is a slim, voracious carnivore with a long body. The limbs are short and the body is muscular. Although the claws are nonretractile, these animals climb with agility. The gestation period is 5 weeks, and four to six young are born in a nest made in a hollow tree or rabbit burrow. One or two litters are born each year, and the life-span is about 8 years.

The common weasel has a wide distribution throughout Europe, North Africa, and Asia, and has managed to survive because of its size and ability to escape detection. It preys upon small rodents, such as mice, voles, and rats, and has been incriminated in attacking domestic animals, such as poultry. See also Ferret; Fisher; Marten; Mink; Otter; Skunk; Wolverine.

noun

One who behaves in a stealthy, furtive way: prowler, sneak, sneaker. See move/halt.

verb

To use evasive or deliberately vague language: equivocate, euphemize, hedge, shuffle, tergiversate. Informal pussyfoot, waffle. Idioms: beataboutaroundthe bush, mince words. See clear/unclear.

[Cambridge] A naive user, one who deliberately or accidentally does things that are stupid or ill-advised. Roughly synonymous with loser.

(click to enlarge)
Long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata). (credit: John H. Gerard)

Any of several genera (carnivore family Mustelidae) of voracious nocturnal predators found throughout the Americas, Africa, and Eurasia. Weasels have slender bodies and necks, small flat heads, short legs, clawed toes, dense short fur, and slim pointed tails. The size and relative length of the tail vary among species. Their total length is 7 – 20 in. (17 – 50 cm), and they may weigh 1 – 12 oz (30 – 350 g). The approximately 10 New World and Eurasian species of Mustela are reddish brown; in cold regions, their winter coat turns white, and the pelt, especially of the stoat (M. erminea), is called ermine. Weasels generally hunt alone, feeding on rodents, fish, frogs, and birds' eggs.

For more information on weasel, visit Britannica.com.

Small, short-legged, serpentine-bodied carnivore of great agility and voracity. Tawny colored, some turning white in winter. Members of the family Mustelidae. Called also Mustela spp., e.g. M. nivalis (common weasel).

For other uses, see Weasel (disambiguation).

Weasel
Least Weasel
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Mustelidae
Subfamily:	Mustelinae
Genus:	Mustela Linnaeus, 1758
Species
Mustela africana Mustela altaica Mustela erminea Mustela eversmannii Mustela felipei Mustela frenata Mustela itatsi Mustela kathiah Mustela lutreola Mustela lutreolina Mustela nigripes Mustela nivalis Mustela nudipes Mustela putorius Mustela sibirica Mustela strigidorsa Mustela subpalmata

Weasels are mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family.

Originally, the name "weasel" was applied to one species of the genus, the European form of the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis). Early literary references to weasels, for example their common appearances in fables, refer to this species rather than to the genus as a whole, reflecting what is still the common usage in the United Kingdom. In technical discourse, however, as in American usage, the term "weasel" can refer to any member of the genus, or to the genus as a whole. Of the 16 extant species currently classified in the genus Mustela, ten have "weasel" in their common name. Among those that do not are the stoat or ermine, the two species of mink, and the polecats or ferrets.

Weasels vary in length from twelve to forty-five centimeters long (six to seventeen inches), and usually have a dark brown upper coat, white belly and in many species, populations living at high latitudes moult to a white coat in winter. They have long slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails are typically almost as long as the rest of their bodies. As is typical of small carnivores, weasels have a reputation for cleverness and guile. They also have tails that can be anywhere from 22–33 cm long and they use these to defend the food they get and to claim territory from other weasels. The average weasel weighs about 198 grams (7 ounces).

Weasels feed on small mammals, and have from time to time been considered^{[by whom?]} vermin since some species took poultry from farms, or rabbits from commercial warrens. Certain species of weasel and ferrets have been reported^{[by whom?]} to perform the mesmerizing weasel war dance, after fighting other creatures, or acquiring food from competing creatures. In folklore at least, this dance is particularly associated with the stoat.

Collective nouns for a group of weasels include boogle, gang, pack, and confusion.^[1]

Weasels occur all across the world except for Antarctica, Australia, and neighbouring islands.

Species

The following information is according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, and IUCN 2006 for the extinct Mustela macrodon.

Mustela africana	Desmarest, 1800	Tropical weasel	South America
Mustela altaica	Pallas, 1811	Mountain weasel	Europe & Northern Asia Southern Asia
Mustela erminea	Linnaeus, 1758	Stoat Ermine Short-tailed weasel	Europe & Northern Asia North America Southern Asia (non-native) New Zealand (non-native)
Mustela eversmannii	Lesson, 1827	Steppe polecat	Europe & Northern Asia Southern Asia
Mustela felipei	Izor and de la Torre, 1978	Colombian weasel	South America
Mustela frenata	Lichtenstein, 1831	Long-tailed weasel	Middle America North America South America
Mustela itatsi	Temminck, 1844	Japanese weasel	Japan & Sakhalin Is. (Russia)
Mustela kathiah	Hodgson, 1835	Yellow-bellied weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela lutreola	(Linnaeus, 1761)	European mink	Europe & Northern Asia
Mustela lutreolina	Robinson and Thomas, 1917	Indonesian mountain weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela nigripes	(Audubon and Bachman, 1851)	Black-footed ferret	North America
Mustela nivalis	Linnaeus, 1766	Least weasel	Europe & Northern Asia North America Southern Asia (non-native) New Zealand (non-native)
Mustela nudipes	Desmarest, 1822	Malayan weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela putorius	Linnaeus, 1758	European Polecat	Europe & Northern Asia New Zealand (ssp. furo) (non-native)
Mustela sibirica	Pallas, 1773	Siberian weasel	Europe & Northern Asia Southern Asia
Mustela strigidorsa	Gray, 1855	Back-striped weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela subpalmata	Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833	Egyptian weasel	Egypt

¹ Europe & Northern Asia division excludes China.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mustela

Wikispecies has information related to: Mustela

Look up weasel in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Mustela (TSN 180552). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 24 July 2007.
• Nowak, Ronald M., and Ernest P. Walker. Walker's Carnivores of the World. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. ISBN 0801880335, ISBN 0801880327.
• C. Hart Merriam, Synopsis of the Weasels of North America, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1896.

Footnotes

1. ^ Bertrand, John. A Gulp of Cormorants???. The Bosque Watch. Volume 14, Number 2, April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.

v • d • e Extant Carnivora species Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Mammalia · Infraclass: Eutheria · Superorder: Laurasiatheria   Suborder Feliformia Nandiniidae Nandinia African Palm Civet (N. binotata) Herpestidae (Mongooses) Atilax Marsh Mongoose (A. paludinosus) Bdeogale Bushy-tailed Mongoose (B. crassicauda} · Jackson's Mongoose (B. jacksoni) · Black-footed Mongoose (B. nigripes) Crossarchus Alexander's Kusimanse (C. alexandri) · Angolan Kusimanse (C. ansorgei) · Common Kusimanse (C. obscurus) · Flat-headed Kusimanse (C. platycephalus) Cynictis Yellow Mongoose (C. penicillata) Dologale Pousargues's Mongoose (D. dybowskii) Galerella Angolan Slender Mongoose (G. flavescens) · Somalian Slender Mongoose (G. ochracea) · Cape Gray Mongoose (G. pulverulenta) · Slender Mongoose (G. sanguinea) Helogale Ethiopian Dwarf Mongoose (H. hirtula) · Common Dwarf Mongoose (H. parvula) Herpestes Short-tailed Mongoose (H. brachyurus) · Indian Gray Mongoose (H. edwardsii) · Indian Brown Mongoose (H. fuscus) · Egyptian Mongoose (H. ichneumon) · Small Asian Mongoose (H. javanicus) · Long-nosed Mongoose (H. naso) · Collared Mongoose (H. semitorquatus) · Ruddy Mongoose (H. smithii) · Crab-eating Mongoose (H. urva) · Stripe-necked Mongoose (H. vitticollis) Ichneumia White-tailed Mongoose (I. albicauda) Liberiictus Liberian Mongoose (L. kuhni) Mungos Gambian Mongoose (M. gambianus) · Banded Mongoose (M. mungo) Paracynictis Selous' Mongoose (P. selousi) Rhynchogale Meller's Mongoose (R. melleri) Suricata Meerkat (S. suricatta) Hyaenidae (Hyenas) Crocuta Spotted Hyena (C. crocuta) Hyaena Brown Hyena (H. brunnea) · Striped Hyena (H. hyaena) Proteles Aardwolf (P. cristatus) Felidae Large family listed below Viverridae Large family listed below Eupleridae Large family listed below   Family Felidae Felinae Acinonyx Cheetah (A. jubatus) Caracal Caracal (C. caracal) Catopuma Bay Cat (C. badia) · Asian Golden Cat (C. temminckii) Felis Chinese Mountain Cat (F. bieti) · Cat (F. catus) · Jungle Cat (F. chaus) · Pallas' Cat (F. manul) · Sand Cat (F. margarita) · Black-footed Cat (F. nigripes) · Wildcat (F. silvestris) Leopardus Pantanal Cat (L. braccatus) · Colocolo (L. colocolo) · Geoffroy's Cat (L. geoffroyi) · Kodkod (L. guigna) · Andean Mountain Cat (L. jacobitus) · Pampas Cat (L. pajeros) · Ocelot (L. pardalis) · Oncilla (L. tigrinus) · Margay (L. wiedii) Leptailurus Serval (L. serval) Lynx Canadian Lynx (L. canadensis) · Eurasian Lynx (L. lynx) · Iberian Lynx (L. pardinus) · Bobcat (L. rufus) Pardofelis Marbled Cat (P. marmorata) Prionailurus Leopard Cat (P. bengalensis) · Iriomote Cat (P. iriomotensis) · Flat-headed Cat (P. planiceps) · Rusty-spotted Cat (P. rubiginosus) · Fishing Cat (P. viverrinus) Profelis African Golden Cat (P. aurata) Puma Cougar (P. concolor) · Jaguarundi (P. yagouaroundi) Pantherinae Neofelis Clouded Leopard (N. nebulosa) · Bornean Clouded Leopard (N. diardi) Panthera Lion (P. leo) · Jaguar (P. onca) · Leopard (P. pardus) · Tiger (P. tigris) Uncia Snow Leopard (U. uncia)   Family Viverridae (includes Civets) Paradoxurinae Arctictis Binturong (A. binturong) Arctogalidia Small-toothed Palm Civet (A. trivirgata) Macrogalidia Sulawesi Palm Civet (M. musschenbroekii) Paguma Masked Palm Civet (P. larvata) Paradoxurus Asian Palm Civet (P. hermaphroditus) · Jerdon's Palm Civet (P. jerdoni) · Golden Palm Civet (P. zeylonensis) Hemigalinae Chrotogale Owston's Palm Civet (C. owstoni) Cynogale Otter Civet (C. bennettii) Diplogale Hose's Palm Civet (D. hosei) Hemigalus Banded Palm Civet (H. derbyanus) Prionodontinae (Asiatic linsangs) Prionodon Banded Linsang (P. linsang) · Spotted Linsang (P. pardicolor) Viverrinae Civettictis African Civet (C. civetta) Genetta (Genets) Abyssinian Genet (G. abyssinica) · Angolan Genet (G. angolensis) · Bourlon's Genet (G. bourloni) · Crested Servaline Genet (G. cristata) · Common Genet (G. genetta) · Johnston's Genet (G. johnstoni) · Rusty-spotted Genet (G. maculata) · Pardine Genet (G. pardina) · Aquatic Genet (G. piscivora) · King Genet (G. poensis) · Servaline Genet (G. servalina) · Haussa Genet (G. thierryi) · Cape Genet (G. tigrina) · Giant Forest Genet (G. victoriae) Poiana Leighton's Linsang (P. leightoni) · African Linsang (P. richardsonii) Viverra Malabar Large-spotted Civet (V. civettina) · Large-spotted Civet (V. megaspila) · Malayan Civet (V. tangalunga) · Large Indian Civet (V. zibetha) Viverricula Small Indian Civet (V. indica)   Family Eupleridae Euplerinae Cryptoprocta Fossa (C. ferox) Eupleres Falanouc (E. goudotii) Fossa Malagasy Civet (F. fossana) Galidiinae Galidia Ring-tailed Mongoose (G. elegans) Galidictis Broad-striped Malagasy Mongoose (G. fasciata) · Grandidier's Mongoose (G. grandidieri) Mungotictis Narrow-striped Mongoose (M. decemlineata) Salanoia Brown-tailed Mongoose (S. concolor)   Suborder Caniformia (cont. below) Ursidae (Bears) Ailuropoda Giant Panda (A. melanoleuca) Helarctos Sun Bear (H. malayanus) Melursus Sloth Bear (M. ursinus) Tremarctos Spectacled Bear (T. ornatus) Ursus American Black Bear (U. americanus) · Brown Bear (U. arctos) · Polar bear (U. maritimus) · Asian Black Bear (U. thibetanus) Mephitidae (Skunks) Conepatus (Hog-nosed skunks) Molina's Hog-nosed Skunk (C. chinga) · Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk (C. humboldtii) · American Hog-nosed Skunk (C. leuconotus) · Striped Hog-nosed Skunk (C. semistriatus) Mephitis Hooded Skunk (M. macroura) · Striped Skunk (M. mephitis) Mydaus Sunda Stink Badger (M. javanensis) · Palawan Stink Badger (M. marchei) Spilogale (Spotted skunks) Southern Spotted Skunk (S. angustifrons) · Western Spotted Skunk (S. gracilis) · Eastern Spotted Skunk (S. putorius) · Pygmy Spotted Skunk (S. pygmaea) Procyonidae Bassaricyon (Olingos) Allen's Olingo (B. alleni) · Beddard's Olingo (B. beddardi) · Bushy-tailed Olingo (B. gabbii) · Harris's Olingo (B. lasius) · Chiriqui Olingo (B. pauli) Bassariscus Ring-tailed Cat (B. astutus) · Cacomistle (B. sumichrasti) Nasua (Coatis inclusive) White-nosed Coati (N. narica) · South American Coati (N. nasua) Nasuella (Coatis inclusive) Mountain Coati (N. olivacea) Potos Kinkajou (P. flavus) Procyon Crab-eating Raccoon (P. cancrivorus) · Raccoon (P. lotor) · Cozumel Raccoon (P. pygmaeus) Ailuridae Ailurus Red Panda (A. fulgens)   Suborder Caniformia (cont. above) Otariidae (Eared seals) (includes fur seals and sea lions) (Pinniped inclusive) Arctocephalus South American Fur Seal (A. australis) · Australasian Fur Seal (A. forsteri) · Galápagos Fur Seal (A. galapagoensis) · Antarctic Fur Seal (A. gazella) · Juan Fernández Fur Seal (A. philippii) · Brown Fur Seal (A. pusillus) · Guadalupe Fur Seal (A. townsendi) · Subantarctic Fur Seal (A. tropicalis) Callorhinus Northern Fur Seal (C. ursinus) Eumetopias Steller Sea Lion (E. jubatus) Neophoca Australian Sea Lion (N. cinerea) Otaria South American Sea Lion (O. flavescens) Phocarctos New Zealand Sea Lion (P. hookeri) Zalophus California Sea Lion (Z. californianus) · Galápagos Sea Lion (Z. wollebaeki) Odobenidae (Pinniped inclusive) Odobenus Walrus (O. rosmarus) Phocidae (Earless seals) (Pinniped inclusive) Cystophora Hooded Seal (C. cristata) Erignathus Bearded Seal (E. barbatus) Halichoerus Gray Seal (H. grypus) Histriophoca Ribbon Seal (H. fasciata) Hydrurga Leopard Seal (H. leptonyx) Leptonychotes Weddell Seal (L. weddellii) Lobodon Crabeater Seal (L. carcinophagus) Mirounga (Elephant seals) Northern Elephant Seal (M. angustirostris) · Southern Elephant Seal (M. leonina) Monachus Mediterranean Monk Seal (M. monachus) · Hawaiian Monk Seal (M. schauinslandi) Ommatophoca Ross Seal (O. rossi) Pagophilus Harp Seal (P. groenlandicus) Phoca Spotted Seal (P. largha) · Harbor Seal (P. vitulina) Pusa Caspian Seal (P. caspica) · Ringed Seal (P. hispida) · Baikal Seal (P. sibirica) Canidae Large family listed below Mustelidae Large family listed below   Family Canidae Atelocynus Short-eared Dog (A. microtis) Canis Side-striped Jackal (C. adustus) · Golden Jackal (C. aureus) · Coyote (C. latrans) · Gray Wolf (C. lupus) · Dog (C. lupus familiaris) · Black-backed Jackal (C. mesomelas) · Ethiopian Wolf (C. simensis) Cerdocyon Crab-eating Fox (C. thous) Chrysocyon Maned Wolf (C. brachyurus) Cuon Dhole (C. alpinus) Lycalopex Culpeo (L. culpaeus) · Darwin's Fox (L. fulvipes) · South American Gray Fox (L. griseus) · Pampas Fox (L. gymnocercus) · Sechuran Fox (L. sechurae) · Hoary Fox (L. vetulus) Lycaon African Wild Dog (L. pictus) Nyctereutes Raccoon Dog (N. procyonoides) Otocyon Bat-eared Fox (O. megalotis) Speothos Bush Dog (S. venaticus) Urocyon Gray Fox (U. cinereoargenteus) · Island Fox (U. littoralis) Vulpes Bengal Fox (V. bengalensis) · Blanford's Fox (V. cana) · Cape Fox (V. chama) · Corsac Fox (V. corsac) · Tibetan Sand Fox (V. ferrilata) · Arctic Fox (V. lagopus) · Kit Fox (V. macrotis) · Pale Fox (V. pallida) · Rüppell's Fox (V. rueppelli) · Swift Fox (V. velox) · Red Fox (V. vulpes) · Fennec Fox (V. zerda)   Family Mustelidae Lutrinae (Otters) Aonyx African Clawless Otter (A. capensis) · Oriental Small-clawed Otter (A. cinerea) Enhydra Sea otter (E. lutris) Hydrictis Spotted-necked Otter (H. maculicollis) Lontra North American River Otter (L. canadensis) · Marine Otter (L. felina) · Neotropical Otter (L. longicaudis) · Southern River Otter (L. provocax) Lutra European Otter (L. lutra) · Hairy-nosed Otter (L. sumatrana) Lutrogale Smooth-coated Otter (L. perspicillata) Pteronura Giant Otter (P. brasiliensis) Mustelinae (including Badgers) Arctonyx Hog Badger (A. collaris) Eira Tayra (E. barbara) Galictis Lesser Grison (G. cuja) · Greater Grison (G. vittata) Gulo Wolverine (G. gulo) Ictonyx Saharan Striped Polecat (I. libyca) · Striped Polecat (I. striatus) Lyncodon Patagonian Weasel (L. patagonicus) Martes (Martens) American Marten (M. americana) · Yellow-throated Marten (M. flavigula) · Beech Marten (M. foina) · Nilgiri Marten (M. gwatkinsii) · European Pine Marten (M. martes) · Japanese Marten (M. melampus) · Fisher (M. pennanti) · Sable (M. zibellina) Meles Japanese Badger (M. anakuma) · Asian Badger (M. leucurus) · European Badger (M. meles) Mellivora Honey Badger (M. capensis) Melogale (Ferret-badgers) Bornean Ferret-badger (M. everetti) · Chinese Ferret-badger (M. moschata) · Javan Ferret-badger (M. orientalis) · Burmese Ferret-badger (M. personata) Mustela (Weasels) Amazon Weasel (M. africana) · Mountain Weasel (M. altaica) · Ermine (M. erminea) · Steppe Polecat (M. eversmannii) · Colombian Weasel (M. felipei) · Long-tailed Weasel (M. frenata) · Japanese Weasel (M. itatsi) · Yellow-bellied Weasel (M. kathiah) · European Mink (M. lutreola) · Indonesian Mountain Weasel (M. lutreolina) · Black-footed Ferret (M. nigripes) · Least Weasel (M. nivalis) · Malayan Weasel (M. nudipes) · European Polecat (M. putorius) · Siberian Weasel (M. sibirica) · Back-striped Weasel (M. strigidorsa) · Egyptian Weasel (M. subpalmata) Neovison (Minks) American Mink (N. vison) Poecilogale African Striped Weasel (P. albinucha) Taxidea American Badger (T. taxus) Vormela Marbled Polecat (V. peregusna)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - væsel, brud
v. intr. - komme med spidsfindige udflugter, komme med søforklaringer, tale med to tunger

idioms:

• weasel word    frase, tomt ord, tvetydig bemærkning

Nederlands (Dutch)
wezel, onbetrouwbaar persoon

Français (French)
n. - (Zool) belette, sournois (péj)
v. intr. - se défiler (fam), se débrouiller (pour ne pas faire)

idioms:

• weasel out    soutirer (qch de qn)
• weasel word    remarque sournoise

Deutsch (German)
n. - Wiesel, verschlagene Person, (Slang) Informant
v. - sich entziehen, ausweichen

idioms:

• weasel out    sich seinen Verpflichtungen entziehen
• weasel word    vager Begriff, zweideutige Ausdrucksweise

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ζωολ.) ικτίς, κουνάβι, νυφίτσα, (μτφ.) δόλιος, πανούργος

idioms:

• weasel word    διφορούμενη κουβέντα

Italiano (Italian)
furbacchione, ambiguo, donnola

idioms:

• weasel word    parola ambigua

Português (Portuguese)
n. - doninha (f) (Zool.)

idioms:

• weasel word    palavra ambígua (f)

Русский (Russian)
горностай или другие животные семейства куньих, мех или шкура этих животных, проныра, доносчик, юлить, говорить уклончиво, доносить

idioms:

• weasel word    ни к чему не обязывающие слова, преднамеренная двусмысленность или неясность в выражениях

Español (Spanish)
n. - comadreja
v. intr. - emplear subterfugios, ser equívoco

idioms:

• weasel out    zafarse, escapar de una situación u obligación
• weasel word    palabra equívoca, declaración ambigua

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - vessla

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
鼬鼠, 狡猾的人, 黄鼠狼, 狡辩, 告密, 躲避

idioms:

• weasel word    狡辩之词, 滑头话, 推托话

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 鼬鼠, 狡猾的人, 黃鼠狼
v. intr. - 狡辯, 告密, 躲避

idioms:

• weasel word    狡辯之詞, 滑頭話, 推托話

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 족제비, 교활한 사람, 수륙 양용차
v. intr. - 말을 흐리다, 회피하다, 밀고하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - イタチ

idioms:

• weasel word    逃げ口上

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) ابن عرس, , شخص ماكر, العرسيه أي مركبه تستعمل للانطلاق على الثلج أو الرمل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮סמור (טורף קטן)‬
v. intr. - ‮סמור (טורף קטן)‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.