merlin

[ mur-lin ]

/ ˈmɜr lɪn /

noun

a small, bold falcon, Falco columbarius, of the Northern Hemisphere.

Nearby words

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

Also called pigeon hawk.

Merlin

[ mur-lin ]

/ ˈmɜr lɪn /

noun

Arthurian Romance. a venerable magician and seer.

a male given name.

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

Examples from the Web for merlin

She went over to his flat with Merlin, their dog, and she discovered the body.
Knocking on Heaven's Door: True Stories of Unexplained, Uncanny Experiences at the Hour of Death|Patricia Pearson|August 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After all, he may look like a Montana Republican, talk like a Montana Republican but he sounds like someone from "Balmer, Merlin."
Best Maryland Accent Ever In Montana Political Ad|Ben Jacobs|October 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Merlin was deemed a Special Access Program requiring ultra-high clearances for officials in the know.
Send This Reporter to Jail|Gabriel Schoenfeld|May 7, 2010|DAILY BEAST
You were willing to blow up this headquarters and everybody, yourself included, in it, to keep us from getting at Merlin.
The Cosmic Computer|Henry Beam Piper

"Then pull everybody out of here and blow the place up, Merlin along with it," Shanlee said.
The Cosmic Computer|Henry Beam Piper
Though ordinarily surefooted, Merlin stumbled frequently, and Richard was obliged to slacken his pace.
The Lancashire Witches|William Harrison Ainsworth
“Merlin can remain with you,” said Oliver at length, “and I will go and tell them;” and off he set.
In the Eastern Seas|W.H.G. Kingston
So Merlin's got to be a liar, too, along with the rest of us!
The Cosmic Computer|Henry Beam Piper

British Dictionary definitions for merlin

merlin

/ (ˈmɜːlɪn) /

noun

a small falcon, Falco columbarius, that has a dark plumage with a black-barred tail: used in falconrySee also pigeon hawk

Word Origin for merlin

C14: from Old French esmerillon, from esmeril, of Germanic origin

Merlin

/ (ˈmɜːlɪn) /

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

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 merlin

merlin

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.

Merlin

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).

Culture definitions for merlin

Merlin

In the legends of King Arthur (see also Arthur), a magician who acts as Arthur's principal adviser.