Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Either of two semiaquatic mustelid carnivores, Mustela lutreola of Europe or Neovison vison of North America, having a pointed snout, short legs, and partly webbed toes, and bred for their commercially valuable fur.
  • noun The soft thick lustrous fur of this animal.
  • noun A coat, stole, or hat made of the fur of this animal.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An American digitigrade carnivorous quadruped of the family Mustelidæ, Putorius (Lutreola) vison, of semi-aquatic habits.
  • noun Same as kingfish .

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) A carnivorous mammal of the genus Mustela (foremrly Putorius), allied to the weasel. The European mink is Mustela lutreola. The common American mink (Mustela vison) varies from yellowish brown to black. Its fur is highly valued. Called also minx, nurik, and vison.
  • noun The fur of the mink{1}. Together with sable, it is one of the most expensive furs not taken from endangerd species. When the fur is taken from animals grown on a farm, it called ranch mink.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Any of various semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant.
  • noun An article of clothing made of mink.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun fur coat made from the soft lustrous fur of minks
  • noun the expensive fur of a mink
  • noun slender-bodied semiaquatic mammal having partially webbed feet; valued for its fur

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, mink fur, possibly of Scandinavian origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Of North Germanic origin.

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Examples

  • Alternatively, take a cab north to Yorkville where the designer artery Bloor Street has given the stretch between Avenue Road and Yonge the nickname "mink mile".

    The Independent - Frontpage RSS Feed 2011

  • It’s lime green, and although the word mink was mentioned when the transaction was made, my husband swears it’s rat.

    Humor for a Sister’s Heart Patsy Clairmont 2007

  • It’s lime green, and although the word mink was mentioned when the transaction was made, my husband swears it’s rat.

    Humor for a Sister’s Heart Patsy Clairmont 2007

  • It’s lime green, and although the word mink was mentioned when the transaction was made, my husband swears it’s rat.

    Humor for a Sister’s Heart Patsy Clairmont 2007

  • It’s lime green, and although the word mink was mentioned when the transaction was made, my husband swears it’s rat.

    Humor for a Sister’s Heart Patsy Clairmont 2007

  • A cloned dog, a Mormon in mink-lined handcuffs and a tantalising mystery (Daily Mail)

    Boing Boing 2008

  • Animal rights activists say they have uncovered evidence of animal cruelty in Swedish mink farms, and are calling on the government to speed up moves to ban the rearing of mink for fur.

    The Local - Sweden's news in English 2010

  • But when the gangsters’ wives start showing up in mink coats and driving hot pink convertibles, they become obvious targets for the police, and he flies off the handle.

    Eric’s Top 10 Defining Christmas Moments » Scene-Stealers 2007

  • The mink is a keen observer, he lives on meat and eggs, being somewhat like a weasel, also loving blood.

    Black Beaver The Trapper George Edward Lewis

  • The mink is a small animal, about two feet long, including his tail.

    The Drama of the Forests Romance and Adventure Arthur Henry Howard Heming 1905

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  • Don't miss Sean Penn's fabulous performance as a feisty, cross-dressing political crusader for drag queen emancipation in Gus van Zandt's latest biopic.

    January 6, 2009

  • "mink" in Hungarian means: we (regional and social variant)

    August 11, 2012