Marten Definition

märtn
martens
noun
martens
Any of a genus (Martes) of small musteline carnivores that live chiefly in trees and have a long, slender body, short legs, and soft, thick, valuable fur.
Webster's New World
The fur.
Webster's New World

Archaic form of martin (the bird)

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
  • marten cat

Other Word Forms of Marten

Noun

Singular:
marten
Plural:
martens

Origin of Marten

  • Middle English martren, martryn, from Anglo-Norman martrine 'marten fur', from Old Low Franconian *marþrin 'of marten fur' (cf. Middle Dutch martren), from *marþra 'marten' (compare Dutch marter), from Proto-Germanic *marþuz (compare Low German Mort, West Frisian murd 'polecat', Old English mearþ 'shrew'), originally 'wedding' (cf. Crimean Gothic marzus 'wedding'), from Proto-Indo-European *martus 'bride'. More at marry. For sense development, compare Italian donnola 'weasel', from donna 'lady', Greek nyfítsa 'weasel', from nymfÄ“ 'bride'.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English martrin, marten from Old French martrine (from) (feminine of martrin pertaining to the marten) (from martre marten) and from Medieval Latin martrīna both of Germanic origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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