noun

merle

murl

Merle (noun) means the Eurasian blackbird, or loosely, any blackbird. Example: “A merle sang from the hedge every morning at dawn.”

noun

The Eurasian blackbird, or loosely, any blackbird.

"A merle sang from the hedge every morning at dawn."

A mottled, marbled coat pattern seen in some dog breeds, such as collies and dachshunds.

"The puppy had a striking blue merle coat."

How to use merle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the blackbird, or a mottled coat pattern in dogs.

Common pairings

blue merle merle coat pattern

merles plural, merles plural

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A _____ sang from the hedge every morning at dawn.

From Old French merle, from Latin merula, "blackbird."

Origin: Latin

blackbird merl ouzel ousel

blackbird ouzel

What does “merle” mean?

The word “merle” means the Eurasian blackbird, or loosely, any blackbird. In plain terms, either the blackbird, or a mottled coat pattern in dogs.

How do you pronounce “merle”?

“Merle” is pronounced murl (/mɝl/ in IPA).

How do you use “merle” in a sentence?

Here is “merle” used in a sentence: “A merle sang from the hedge every morning at dawn.”

What part of speech is “merle”?

“Merle” is a noun.

Where does the word “merle” come from?

The word “merle” comes from Latin. From Old French merle, from Latin merula, "blackbird.".

How many meanings does “merle” have?

“Merle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the Eurasian blackbird, or loosely, any blackbird.

blackbird ouzel