purple martin

American  

noun

1. a large American swallow, Progne subis, the male of which is blue-black.

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Etymology

Origin of purple martin

An Americanism dating back to 1735–45

Example Sentences

Or purple martins: large, fast aerial insectivores for whom my roomy nylon tent would be a prison.

From The Wall Street Journal

The zoo’s community science programs organize people tromping around marshes in search of amphibian eggs and monitoring nesting purple martins along the Tacoma waterfront.

From Seattle Times

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, house sparrows have been known to attack many bird species, including bluebirds, purple martins and tree swallows.

From New York Times

The purple martin “landlords” are rewarded with “a family-like bond with the birds who return to the same colony year after year like clockwork,” Siegrist said.

From Washington Times

The Southeast Volusia Audubon is also hoping to soon see purple martins appear.

From Washington Times