What does "merlin" mean?
A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
Merlin
/ˈmɝlɪn/ name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Grammar: merlin is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: falco columbarius, illusionist, little falcon, magician.
- Useful contrasts: nonmagician.
- Usage evidence: The Lady of the Lake bewitched Merlin and trapped him in the trunk of a tree.
How to use "merlin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "merlin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "merlin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "merlin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "merlin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "merlin" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "falco columbarius" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "merlin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
"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; [...]"
- 2 A cytoskeletal protein active in the suppression of tumors. uncountable
- 3 small falcon of Europe and America having dark plumage with black-barred tail; used in falconry wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A wizard in the Arthurian legend.
"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."
- 2 A male given name.
- 3 A census-designated place in Josephine County, Oregon, United States.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The Lady of the Lake bewitched Merlin and trapped him in the trunk of a tree."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "merlin"?
Common synonyms include: falco columbarius, illusionist, little falcon, magician, pigeon hawk, small falcon.
How do you use "merlin" in a sentence?
The Lady of the Lake bewitched Merlin and trapped him in the trunk of a tree.
How do you pronounce "merlin"?
Pronounced /ˈmɝlɪn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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”).
Etymology 2
Acronym of moesin-Ezrin-Radixin-like protein + -in (“protein”)
Etymology 3
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”).