A mink is a small, sleek mammal with dark brown fur that lives near water and hunts fish, frogs, and small animals. Minks are excellent swimmers with partially webbed feet, and they're about the size of a ferret, with long bodies built for slipping through tight spaces along riverbanks and lakeshores.

Wild minks live throughout North America and parts of Europe and Asia. They're solitary, territorial animals that make their dens in hollow logs or burrows near streams and ponds. A mink hunting along a creek moves with incredible speed and agility, diving underwater to catch fish or darting along the bank to surprise unwary prey.

For much of the 20th century, minks were also raised on farms for their fur, which was considered extremely valuable and luxurious. A mink coat was once seen as a symbol of wealth and elegance. Today, attitudes about fur clothing have changed significantly, and many people prefer not to wear real animal fur.

The word mink can refer to either the living animal or the fur itself. When someone mentions a vintage mink coat, they're talking about clothing made from mink pelts, though modern “mink” coats are sometimes made from synthetic materials designed to look similar.