martlet

American  

[mahrt-lit] / ˈmɑrt lɪt /

noun

1. British Dialect. a house martin.

2. Heraldry. a representation of a swallow close and without legs, used especially as the cadency mark of a fourth son.

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martlet British  

/ ˈmɑːtlɪt /

noun

1. an archaic name for a martin

2. heraldry a footless bird often found in coats of arms, standing for either a martin or a swallow

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Etymology

Origin of martlet

1530–40; < Middle French martelet, variant of martinet; see martin, -et

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

martlet

In the winter-time they had their taffeta gowns of all colors, as above named, and those lined with the rich furrings of wolves, weasels, Calabrian martlet, sables, and other costly furs.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. VII (of X)—Continental Europe I by Lodge, Henry Cabot

This guest of summer,          The temple-haunting martlet, does approve,          By his lov'd mansionry, that heaven's breath          Smells wooingly here.

From The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 05 Miscellaneous Pieces by Johnson, Samuel

With a fine disregard of both ornithology and heraldry these birds have often been spoken of as martlets—the martlet appearing in the Byrd coat of arms.

From Virginia: the Old Dominion by Hutchins, Frank W.

Arden or Arderne gu., three cross crosslets fitchée or; on a chief of the second a martlet of the first.

From Shakespeare's Family by Stopes, C. C. (Charlotte Carmichael)

The martlet indicates both swallow and martin, and in the arms of the Cornish Arundels the martlets must stand for “hirundels” or swallows.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3 "Helmont, Jean" to "Hernosand" by Various