An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Frettchen

by Friedrich Kluge

Frettchen, n., ‘little ferret,’ dimin. of an earlier ModHG. Frett, m., ‘ferret,’ occurs in ModHG. from Romance; comp. Ital. furetto, Fr. furet (E. ferret), MidLat. furetum, furetus. ‘ferret,’ which is based upon early MidLat. furo, ‘polecat,’ equiv. to Lat. fur, ‘thief.’