Definitions
small falcon of Europe and America having dark plumage with black-barred tail; used in falconry
Word origin
From Middle English merlioun, merlion, marlyon, merlyon, merlinge, from Old French emerillon, esmerillon, from Old Frankish *smiril (“falcon, hawk”), from Proto-Germanic *smirilaz (“falcon, merlin”). Cognate with Old High German smirl (“falcon”), Old Norse smyrill (“falcon”).
Used in a sentence
“The gentle falcon, that with its feet distraineth / The kingës hand; the hardy sperhawke eke, / The quailës foe; the merlion that paineth / Himself full oft the larkë for to seek; [...]”
“Smaller and less powerful falcons included the merlon, the hobby, and the kesterel.”
“Music, art, entertainment, medicine, and science are being changed before our very eyes by technological Merlins waving silicon wands.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Small falcon”6 letters
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