merle

• (UK) IPA^(key): /mɜːl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /mɝl/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)l

From the taxonomic name; from Latin turdus (“thrush”) and merula (“blackbird”), giving rise to the French merle, from Proto-Indo-European *ams- (“black, blackbird”), see also Breton moualch (“ouzel”), Welsh mwyalch (“blackbird, thrush”), English ouzel

merle (plural merles)

1. The Eurasian blackbird, Turdus merula.
2. Any blackbird.

merle (uncountable)

1. A type of mottled colouration on dogs.

• Elmer, Lemer

From Latin merula, probably through the Late Latin masculine form merulus (compare Italian merlo, Spanish mirlo).

• IPA^(key): /mɛʁl/

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merle m (plural merles)

1. blackbird
2. Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)

• “merle” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• mêler

merle f

1. plural of merla