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
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The introduction of rats, dogs, cats and stoats, as well as hunting by people and destruction of native forest habitats, drove species of the country’s flourishing flightless birds — the kakapo among them — to near or complete extinction.
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Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The hottest ticket at the Olympics was for Tina and Milo, the adorable, anthropomorphic stoat mascots whom fans couldn’t get enough of — literally.
—Jiachuan Wu, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
The introduction of rats, dogs, cats and stoats, as well as hunting by people and destruction of native forest habitats, drove species of the country’s flourishing flightless birds — the kakapo among them — to near or complete extinction.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
That personality and deadly skill set has not endeared stoats to humans, who have traditionally viewed them as vicious or even uncanny.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
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Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The hottest ticket at the Olympics was for Tina and Milo, the adorable, anthropomorphic stoat mascots whom fans couldn’t get enough of — literally.
—Jiachuan Wu, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
The introduction of rats, dogs, cats and stoats, as well as hunting by people and destruction of native forest habitats, drove species of the country’s flourishing flightless birds — the kakapo among them — to near or complete extinction.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
That personality and deadly skill set has not endeared stoats to humans, who have traditionally viewed them as vicious or even uncanny.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stoat
Cite this Entry
“Stoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoat. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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stoat
noun
: a common ermine of northern regions especially in its brown summer coat
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