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
- A small falcon, "Falco columbarius", that breeds...
Ancestry of “merlin”, step by step
merlin traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English merlone
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | merlone | — |
| 2 | Old French | emerillon | — |
| 3 | Old French | esmerillon | — |
| 4 | Old French | esmeril | — |
| 5 | Italian | smeriglio | emery; merlin; Synonym of sparviero |
| 6 | Greek | σμερίλιον | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | σμερί | — |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | σμύρις | emery-powder, used by lapidaries |
via Middle English merlinge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | merlinge | — |
via Middle English merlion
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | merlion | — |