merle
Use Merle in a sentence
noun Chiefly Scot.
the blackbird, Turdus merula.
Also, merl.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English merule < Middle French < Latin merulus, merula ousel, blackbird
1350–1400; Middle English merule < Middle French < Latin merulus, merula ousel, blackbird
Dictionary.com Unabridged
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Merle
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
noun
a male or female given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To merle
Collins
World English Dictionary
merle or merl1 (mɜːl, Scottish mɛrl, mɜːl, Scottish mɛrl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| (Scot) another name for the (European) blackbird | |
| [C15: via Old French from Latin merula] | |
| merl or merl1 | |
| —n | |
| [C15: via Old French from Latin merula] | |
| merle2 (mɜːl) | |
| —adj | |
| Often called: blue merle (of a dog, esp a collie) having a bluish-grey coat with speckles or streaks of black | |
| [C20: from dialect mirlet, mirly speckled] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
merle
"blackbird," late 15c., from Fr. merle, from L. merulus "blackbird." The word owes its survival in modern times to its use by Scottish poets.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences from the web
The reason is because the merle gene is linked to blindness and deafness.
He developed this style from listening to merle travis occasionally on a primitive radio.
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