mustelline

English

Etymology

From the Latin mūstellīnus, from mūstella, an alternative form of mūstēla; see musteline.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mʌˈstɛlaɪn/

Adjective

mustelline (comparative more mustelline, superlative most mustelline)

1. Rare spelling of musteline.
   • 1932, Luther Crocker Snider, Earth History, The Century co., page 371:

     The mustelline group — weasels, otters, minks, badgers, skunks, martens, wolverenes, etc. — are not abundantly preserved as fossils, but their record goes back to the Oligocene, when the types were generalized and quite different from the living ones.

   • 1969, Otto Frederic Kampmeier, Evolution and Comparative Morphology of the Lymphatic System, page 497:

     The mesenteric lymph nodes in this mustelline species are several, and not amalgamated into a single large mass as seen in some carnivores.

   • 1980, Gavin Maxwell, Raven Seek Thy Brother, Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 15, →ISBN:

     The massiveness of the damage they had inflicted upon other humans – the hysterical, almost manic, sustained attacks that characterize the mustelline family when the killer instinct is somehow aroused, precluded any possibility of allowing them liberty; the most I could do was occasionally to take them for a walk – separately, for they hated each other – and to employ staff to look after them, for I could not always be at Camusfeàrna.

   • ibidem, page 27:

     The mustelline access of emotion that may turn to such terrible violence was now all affection and desire for reassurance; he squirmed and writhed and put his fingers in my mouth and ears; he put his mouth to mine and sought the animal exchange of saliva.