Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “merlone” come from?

merlone (Middle English) comes 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.

Ancestry of “merlone”, step by step

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

Words derived from “merlone”

  • merlin
  • merlon
Every word from Ancient Greek σμύρις →