of, relating to, or belonging to the Mustelidae, a family of typically predatory mammals including weasels, ferrets, minks, polecats, badgers, skunks, and otters: order Carnivora (carnivores)
noun
2.
any musteline animal
Word origin
C17: from Latin mustēlīnus, from mustēla weasel, from mūs mouse + -tēla, of unknown origin
musteline in American English
(ˈmʌstəˌlaɪn; ˈmʌstəlɪn)
adjective
designating or of a large family (Mustelidae) of fur-bearing carnivores, includingthe weasel, marten, polecat, and mink
Word origin
L mustelinus < mustela, a weasel, akin to mus, mouse