marten
- 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.
Origin of marten
Examples from the Web for marten
Contemporary Examples
When recounting her trip to her friend Glen (Marten Holder Weiner), Sally summed up her visit to Manhattan in one word: “Dirty.”
Historical Examples
His bed was in an attic, next door to his big cousin Marten's room.
The Fairchild FamilyMary Martha Sherwood
So saying, she was going to push the door to, when she saw poor little Marten.
The Fairchild FamilyMary Martha Sherwood
There were two methods followed in setting the marten traps.
The Gaunt Gray WolfDillon Wallace
Then he will return to the Great Lake and trap the marten and the mink.
The Gaunt Gray WolfDillon Wallace
Then addressing the woman: "Poor Marten," said he, "feast on the game I have brought."
The Indian Fairy BookCornelius Mathews
marten
- 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
Word Origin and History for marten
n.
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.