merlin
UK /ˈmɜːlɪn/ · US /ˈmɝlɪn/ noun, proper noun
Forms merlins marlin marlion marlyon merline merlion merlon
- noun A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
- noun (biochemistry) A cytoskeletal protein active in the suppression of tumors.
- proper noun A wizard in the Arthurian legend.
- proper noun A male given name.
- proper noun A census-designated place in Josephine County, Oregon, United States.
Synonyms
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”).
Acronym of moesin-ezrin-radixin-like protein + -in (“protein”)
From Middle English Merlyn, from Medieval Latin Merlinus and Old French Merlin, from Proto-Brythonic *Mor-ðin (literally “sea-hill”), from Proto-Celtic *mori (“sea”) + *dūnom (“stronghold, rampart”).
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [OE. merlion, F. émerillon ; cf. OHG. smirl, G. schmerl ; prob. fr. L. merula blackbird. Cf. Merle.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “merlin”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details