merlo

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See also: Merlo, mèrlo, and merlò

Galician

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Merlo

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Late Latin merŭlum, from Latin merula.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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merlo m (plural merlos)

  1. blackbird
    Synonyms: merla, merliño
    • 1894, Luís Otero Pimentel, Truada de rapaces:
      Dempois vin dúas lavandeiras que depenicaban unha espiga de trigo na leira de Xan de Pedreira, unha pomba que voaba pró souto de Fonte Boa, unha péga que fuxía de un lagarteiro, catro corvos que espaturraban un canciño morto na carballeira, un melro que asubiaba entre as follas dun cereixo, un carpinteiro que facía o burato pró seu niño; e unha laverca que rebulía no aire, con unha miñoquiña no pico.
      After this I saw two wagtails which were pecking a wheat spike at the field of Xan de Pedreira, a dove flying to the wood of Fonte Boa, a magpie fleeing from a kestrel, four ravens which were clawing at a dead pup at the oak grove, a blackbird whistling in the leaves of a cherry tree, a woodpecker making the hole of its nest; and a lark fluttering in the air with a little earthworm in its beak.

References

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Italian

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Late Latin merŭlum, from Latin merula.

Noun

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merlo m (plural merli, feminine merla)

  1. blackbird
  2. (slang) pushover or weakling; sucker, patsy, or dupe; a chump
Derived terms
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Further reading
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  • merlo1 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Etymology 2

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From Medieval Latin merulus (battlement). Probably cognate with French and English merlon, Spanish merlón.

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “The Latin term is, according to the Wikipedia article for merlon, probably related to Etymology 1, as blackbirds often perch on battlements and other kinds of walls. This seems rather folk-etymological, however.”

Noun

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merlo m (plural merli)

  1. battlement
Derived terms
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Further reading
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  • merlo3 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Etymology 3

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Verb

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merlo

  1. first-person singular present indicative of merlare

Ladin

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Etymology

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From Late Latin merŭlum, from Latin merula.

Noun

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merlo

  1. blackbird

Spanish

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Late Latin merŭlum, from Latin merula.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈmeɾlo/ [ˈmeɾ.lo]
  • Rhymes: -eɾlo
  • Syllabification: mer‧lo

Noun

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merlo m (plural merlos)

  1. blackbird
  2. brown wrasse (fish)
    Synonym: budión

Further reading

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