martin
nounUK /ˈmɑː.tɪn/ · US /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/
Etymology From Middle French martin (French martinet).
1
Many of the various passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, which also includes swallows, that catch insects whilst flying.
- Roof-haunting martins warm their eggs: / In these, in those the life is stay’d.1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Day-Dream. The Sleeping Palace.”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 150:
- Derived terms
- bank martin, bee martin, black martin, crag martin, fairy martin, house martin, like a martin to his gourd, like a martin to its gourd, martin bug, martinet, purple martin, sand martin, screech martin, white-eyed river martin, window martin