marten

[ mahr-tn ]

/ ˈmɑr tn /

noun, plural mar·tens, (especially collectively) mar·ten.

any of several slender, chiefly arboreal carnivores of the genus Martes, of northern forests, having a long, glossy coat and bushy tail.

the fur of such an animal, generally a dark brown.

Nearby words

martel, martellato, martello tower, martelé, martempering, marten, martensite, martha, martha washington chair, martha washington table, martha's vineyard

Origin of marten

1375–1425; < Middle Low German, equivalent to mart marten (cognate with Old English mearth) + -en -en⁵; replacing late Middle English martren < Middle French martrine marten fur, noun use of feminine of martrin pertaining to a marten, equivalent to martre marten (< Germanic; compare German Marder) + -in -in¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for marten

When recounting her trip to her friend Glen (Marten Holder Weiner), Sally summed up her visit to Manhattan in one word: “Dirty.”
‘Mad Men’ Finale and Video of Best Season 5 Moments|Jace Lacob|June 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
"To be sure I will, nurse," said Marten, glad to see the good woman was so far giving in to his wishes.
Brotherly Love|Mrs. Sherwood
Thus he first went over the marten pelts, laying them in three piles, graded as to value and quality.
Grit A-Plenty|Dillon Wallace
They are generally dyed in imitation of other members of the marten family.
Principles and Practice of Fur Dressing and Fur Dyeing|William E. Austin

It is about the size of a marten, and has the upper surface of a bluish-grey tint, and the under surface is dark brown.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 5|Various
The talk Mary and Marten heard while sitting at meals with their parents was clever and interesting.
The Fairchild Family|Mary Martha Sherwood

British Dictionary definitions for marten

marten

/ (ˈmɑːtɪn) /

noun plural -tens or -ten

any of several agile arboreal musteline mammals of the genus Martes, of Europe, Asia, and North America, having bushy tails and golden brown to blackish furSee also pine marten

the highly valued fur of these animals, esp that of M. americana

Word Origin for marten

C15: from Middle Dutch martren, from Old French (peau) martrine skin of a marten, from martre, probably of Germanic origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for marten

marten

mid-13c., "skin or fur of the marten," from Old French martrine "marten fur," noun use of fem. adjective martrin "of or pertaining to the marten," from martre "marten," from Frankish *martar or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *marthuz (cf. Old Saxon marthrin "of or pertaining to the marten," Old Frisian merth, Middle Dutch maerter, Dutch marter, Old High German mardar, German Marder, Old English mearþ, Old Norse mörðr "marten"), probably from PIE *martu- "bride," perhaps on some fancied resemblance, or else a Germanic euphemism for the real name of the animal, which might have been taboo.

In Middle English the animal itself typically was called marter, directly from Old French martre, but marten took over this sense in English c.1400.