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merle

 - 6 dictionary results

merle

1  [murl]
Use merle in a Sentence
–noun Chiefly Scot.
the blackbird, Turdus merula.
Also, merl.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME merule < MF < L merulus, merula ousel, blackbird

merle

2  [murl]
–noun
1. a bluish gray color mottled with black.
–adjective
2. being the color merle.
Origin:
1900–05; orig. uncert.

Merle

  [murl]
–noun
a male or female given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To merle
black·bird   (blāk'bûrd')   
n.  

  1. Any of various New World birds of the family Icteridae, such as the grackle or red-winged blackbird, the male of which has black or predominantly black plumage.

  2. An Old World songbird (Turdus merula), the male of which is black with a yellow bill. Also called merle1.

  3. Australian A South Sea Islander kidnapped and sold into slavery in Australia; a Kanaka.

tr.v.   black·bird·ed, black·bird·ing, black·birds Australian
To kidnap (a South Sea Islander) and sell into slavery.
merle 1 also merl   (mûrl)   
n.  See blackbird.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin merulus, merula.]
merle 2   (mûrl)   
adj.  Having a reddish or bluish gray coat streaked or speckled with black. Used of certain dogs.
n.  A dog with a merle coat.

[Perhaps from merle1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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