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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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
This curious stoat came out of its snowy hole and sat up from time to time, observing its territory just before setting off to hunt.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
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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
This curious stoat came out of its snowy hole and sat up from time to time, observing its territory just before setting off to hunt.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 26 Nov. 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 3 May. 2025.
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stoat
noun
: a common ermine of northern regions especially in its brown summer coat
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