merle

or merl

[ murl ]

/ mɜrl /

noun Chiefly Scot.

the blackbird, Turdus merula.

Words nearby merle

meriç, merk, merkel, merkel's corpuscle, merkin, merle, merleau-ponty, merlin, merlo, merlon, merlot

Origin of merle

1350–1400; Middle English merule < Middle French < Latin merulus, merula ousel, blackbird

Definition for merle (2 of 3)

merle²

[ murl ]

/ mɜrl /

noun

a bluish gray color mottled with black.

adjective

being the color merle.

Origin of merle

First recorded in 1900–05; origin uncertain

Definition for merle (3 of 3)

Merle

[ murl ]

/ mɜrl /

noun

a male or female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for merle

The stars kept coming: Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper, Merle Oberon.
The Rise of the Malibu Movie Colony|Michele Willens|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And, perhaps most heartbreakingly, Merle died trying to take out the Governor on his own.
A Primer For ‘The Walking Dead’ Season Four Premiere|Melissa Leon|October 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I realize now that this story was a major influence on the Merle Zane character in the Niceville series.
Carsten Stroud’s Book Bag: My Top Five Horror Classics|Carsten Stroud|July 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
You hear it in Hank Williams Sr., Merle Haggard, early Dolly Parton, and you hear it in George Jones.
George Jones Would Break Your Heart Every Time|Malcolm Jones|April 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Cooper was a minor actor who initially wanted to do the life story of Merle Haggard.
Jeff Bridges' Crazy Inspiration|Kim Masters|December 15, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Then came to the comfortable conclusion that perhaps Merle had noticed nothing.
Twos and Threes|G. B. Stern
"Give me your cap," she said, and into Merle's cap spurted a torrent of coins.
The Wrong Twin|Harry Leon Wilson
One evening in the late autumn Merle was sitting at home waiting for her husband.
The Great Hunger|Johan Bojer
At which Merle flung herself back among the pillows, both hands pressed tightly to her forehead.
Twos and Threes|G. B. Stern
Madame Merle, holding her hand, drew it across her own fine palm and looked at it.
The Portrait of a Lady|Henry James

British Dictionary definitions for merle (1 of 2)

merle¹

merl

/ (mɜːl, Scottish mɛrl) /

noun

Scot another name for the (European) blackbird

Word Origin for merle

C15: via Old French from Latin merula

British Dictionary definitions for merle (2 of 2)

merle²

/ (mɜːl) /

adjective

(of a dog, esp a collie) having a bluish-grey coat with speckles or streaks of blackOften called: blue merle

Word Origin for merle

C20: from dialect mirlet, mirly speckled

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