plural stoats also stoat
: the common ermine (Mustela erminea) chiefly of northern Eurasia and North America that is brown above and white below in summer and in its northern range all white in winter and that ranges from 9 to 15 inches (23 to 38 centimeters) in length including a black-tipped tail that is usually 1 ½ to 3 ½ inches (3.8 to 9 centimeters) long : ermine sense 1a, short-tailed weasel
Examples of stoat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Part of the tour contributes to the health of the ecosystem by funding the removal of non-native predators such as stoats and rats, which harm native bird populations and other wildlife in New Zealand.
—
Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Last year, the flightless takahe birds were reintroduced into the wild after being nearly wiped out by stoats.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Apr. 2025
Having seen stoats before in Switzerland, Belgian photographer Michel d'Oultremont wanted to capture an image of one in his own country.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
However, the greatest threats to little blue penguins include dogs, cats, ferrets, stoats, and the impacts of coastal development.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for stoat
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Last year, the flightless takahe birds were reintroduced into the wild after being nearly wiped out by stoats.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Apr. 2025
Having seen stoats before in Switzerland, Belgian photographer Michel d'Oultremont wanted to capture an image of one in his own country.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
However, the greatest threats to little blue penguins include dogs, cats, ferrets, stoats, and the impacts of coastal development.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for stoat
Cite this Entry
“Stoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoat. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stoat
noun
: a common ermine of northern regions especially in its brown summer coat
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share