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Glite Dictionary
Mustela frenata

Mustela frenata

9.9
A long American weasel with a tail that has a black tip
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Mustela frenata
  • The Mustela frenata, with its long body and black-tipped tail, is often seen darting through fields in search of food.

Examples

  • The Mustela frenata is known for its agility and swift hunting abilities.

  • Did you know that Mustela frenata has a black-tipped tail?

  • Biologists studied the habitat preferences of Mustela frenata in the western United States.

  • Unlike other weasels, Mustela frenata can change the color of its fur with the seasons.

  • The Mustela frenata is often found in grasslands.

  • In many regions, the Mustela frenata is a familiar sight as it hunts small rodents in grasslands and woodlands.

  • A common species in North America, the Mustela frenata demonstrates remarkable agility while chasing its prey.

Synonyms

long-tailed weasel
vsMustela frenata
  • US
6.9

A small wild animal with a long black-tipped tail that eats mice and rats

is the scientific name rather than the hyphenated common form
longtail weasel
vsMustela frenata
  • US
7.0

A small wild animal with a long body and a black-tipped tail that eats rats and mice

is the scientific name rather than the unhyphenated common form

Surface Forms

Mustela frenata singular
Mustela frenatas plural

Morphology

Mustela + frenata

This is a Latin binomial (a taxonomic proper name) rather than a compositional English phrase: the constituents are a genus name and a non‑English/unknown element, so their literal meanings do not yield 'long‑tailed weasel' to an average B1 learner. Even if a learner recognized Mustela as a weasel genus, the species epithet 'frenata' is not an English word and the specific species meaning cannot be derived from the parts, making the expression non‑compositional for learners.

Etymology

Mustela frenata may come from old Latin words: Mustela means 'weasel' and frenata means 'banded' or 'bridled'. The name points to the animal's long body and the dark-tipped or banded tail, so it fits the long-tailed weasel.