EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN
noun a small, bold falcon, Falco columbarius, of the Northern Hemisphere.
Origin of merlin 1350–1400; Middle English merlioun, merlone < Anglo-French merilun, Old French esmerillon, diminutive of esmeril < Germanic; akin to German Schmerl, Old Norse smyrill
noun Arthurian Romance a venerable magician and seer.
a male given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for merlin Contemporary Examples of merlin She went over to his flat with Merlin , their dog, and she discovered the body.
After all, he may look like a Montana Republican, talk like a Montana Republican but he sounds like someone from "Balmer, Merlin ."
Merlin was deemed a Special Access Program requiring ultra-high clearances for officials in the know.
Historical Examples of merlin People will continue to read Merlin long after La Pucelle has been forgotten.
Merlin was a King in early Britain; he was also an Enchanter.
Now, strange to say, the greatest friend of Merlin was a little girl.
He began by thanking me at table for my present of Merlin Coccaeus.
Then Merlin said, “Do you know how to make this business all nice and right?”
British Dictionary definitions for merlin noun a small falcon, Falco columbarius, that has a dark plumage with a black-barred tail: used in falconry See also pigeon hawk Show More
Word Origin for merlin C14: from Old French esmerillon, from esmeril, of Germanic origin
noun (in Arthurian legend) a wizard and counsellor to King Arthur eternally imprisoned in a tree by a woman to whom he revealed his secret craft
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for merlin n. small, strong European falcon, early 14c., from Anglo-French merilun , a shortened form of Old French esmerillon "merlin, small hawk" (12c., Modern French émerillon ), from Frankish *smiril or some other Germanic source (cf. Old High German smerlo , German Schmerl "merlin"). Spanish esmerejon , Italian smeriglio also are Germanic loan-words.
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sorcerer and soothsayer in Arthurian legends, from Old French form of Welsh Myrddhin , probably from Old Celtic *Mori-dunon , literally "of the sea-hill," from *mori "sea" (see mere (n.)) + dunom "hill" (see dune ).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
In the legends of King Arthur (see also Arthur ), a magician who acts as Arthur's principal adviser.
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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