merlin
/ˈmɝlɪn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.42 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
name
A wizard in the Arthurian legend.
name
A male given name.
name
A census-designated place in Josephine County, Oregon, United States.
Example Sentences
- "The gentle falcon, that with its feet distraineth / The kingës hand; the hardy sperhawke eke, / The quailës foe; the merlion that paineth / Himself full oft the larkë for to seek; [...]"
- "Smaller and less powerful falcons included the merlon, the hobby, and the kesterel."
- "I NEXT paſſed into the choir; a ſcene of transformation indeed! I had been accuſtomed to contemplate here a far different order of things. Our profeſſional Merlins have waved their wands to ſome purpoſe; and all view, as their familiars invited me to believe, was to be given up to the momentary glance at an Eidophuſicon ſhew of the Reſurrection filling the Eaſt window in that ſpot late our Lady’s chapel, now the termination of the choir."
- "It is a game of chemistry and confidence, where players of gold often make teams of lead, and vice versa. Coaches are like Merlins madly mixing metals, searching for “the right combination,” even if it contradicts common sense."
- "Music, art, entertainment, medicine, and science are being changed before our very eyes by technological Merlins waving silicon wands."
Etymology
From Middle English merlioun, merlion, marlyon, merlyon, merlinge, from Old French emerillon, esmerillon, from Old Frankish *smiril (“falcon, hawk”), from Proto-Germanic *smirilaz (“falcon, merlin”). Cognate with Old High German smirl (“falcon”), Old Norse smyrill (“falcon”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈmɝlɪn/
- British English: /ˈmɜːlɪn/
Usage
Inflected Forms
merlins (plural)
marlin (alternative)
marlion (alternative)
marlyon (alternative)
merline (alternative)
merlion (alternative)
merlon (alternative)