English
fisher cat
Fisher cat may come from French fiche.
- Frenchc. 1600–presentficheuncertain
- Englishtodayfisher cat
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presentficheuncertain
- Englishtodayfisher cat
The story
From French fiche or fichet (‘polecat pelt’), from Middle Dutch visse (‘nasty’) (contemporary Dutch: vies (‘nasty, dirty’)), influenced by fisher.
Linked words
through French fiche
Today it means
noun A North American carnivorous mammal (Pekania pennanti, syn. Martes pennanti) of the weasel family.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French fiche / fisher cat