Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “merlin” come from?

merlin (English) comes from Middle English merlone, from Old French emerillon, from Old French esmerillon, from Old French esmeril, from Italian smeriglio, from Greek σμερίλιον, from Ancient Greek σμερί, from Ancient Greek σμύρις — emery-powder, used by lapidaries.

merlin (English): A small falcon, "Falco columbarius", that breeds...

Definitions

  1. A small falcon, "Falco columbarius", that breeds...

Ancestry of “merlin”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmerlone—
2Old Frenchemerillon—
3Old Frenchesmerillon—
4Old Frenchesmeril—
5Italiansmeriglioemery; merlin; Synonym of sparviero
6Greekσμερίλιον—
7Ancient Greekσμερί—
8Ancient Greekσμύριςemery-powder, used by lapidaries

Words derived from “merlin”

  • merlon
Every word from Ancient Greek σμύρις →