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