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  1. merlin love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A small falcon (Falco columbarius) of northern regions, having predominantly dark plumage and a black-striped tail. Also called pigeon hawk.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A kind of hawk; a falcon of small size, belonging to the genus Falco, and to that section of the genus called Æsalon or Hypotriorchis. There are several species, the bestknown of which is the European merlin, stone-falcon, or sparrow-hawk, F. regulus, F. æsalon, or F. lithofalco, one of the smallest of the European birds of prey, but very spirited. Though only 10 or 12 inches long, and thus not much larger than a thrush, it has been used in hawking for quails, larks, and other small game. The corresponding falcon of North America is Richardson's merlin, F. richardsoni, a near relative of the common pigeon-hawk of the same country, F. columbarius.
  2. n. A hardy, active pony, somewhat larger than the Shetland, found in Wales.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe and Asia.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. (Zoöl.) A small European falcon (Falco columbarius, syn. Falco lithofalco, or Falco æsalon). In North America called also pigeon hawk.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. small falcon of Europe and America having dark plumage with black-barred tail; used in falconry
  2. n. (Arthurian legend) the magician who acted as King Arthur's advisor

Etymologies

  1. Middle English, from Anglo-Norman merilun, from Old French esmerillon, diminutive of esmeril, of Germanic origin. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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synonyms (1)

Words with the same meaning

  1. pigeon hawk

hypernyms (4)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. falcon
  1. fictitious character
  1. fictional character
  1. character

same context (18)

Words that are found in similar contexts

  1. dembot
  2. danielha
  3. kestrel
  1. gerfalcon
  2. saker
  3. consulter
  1. quacking
  2. zither
  3. shoveller
  1. exorcist
  2. foot-page
  3. grayhound
  1. flatfloater
  2. viewings
  3. sparrow hawk
  1. bittern
  2. schoolwork
  3. conjuror

reverse dictionary (12)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. rock-hawk
  2. æsalon
  1. marling
  2. marlyon
  1. stone-falcon
  2. maalin
  1. pigeon hawk
  2. stone falcon
  1. stone hawk
  2. hypotriorchis
  1. occasion
  2. quillwort

tags (5)

Free-form, user-generated categorization

  1. bird
  1. artillery
  1. sloop
  1. british ship
  1. cvccvc

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Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘merlin’.

Comments

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  • bilby Words that are found in similar contexts:
    zither
    shoveller
    grayhound
    schoolwork
    quacking
    foot-page Jan 8, 2013

  • chained_bear "a hand-spike." (or handspike. Citation in Historical Military Terms list description) Oct 9, 2008

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‘merlin’ has been looked up 1506 times, added to 12 lists, commented on 2 times, and has a Scrabble score of 8.