marten

4 definitions found

marten - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Marten \Mar"ten\ (m[aum]r"t[e^]n), n. (Zool.)
     A bird. See Martin.
     [1913 Webster]

  marten \mar"ten\, n. [From older martern, marter, martre, F.
     martre, marte, LL. martures (pl.), fr. L. martes; akin to AS.
     mear[eth], meard, G. marder, OHG. mardar, Icel. m["o]r[eth]r.
     Cf. Foumart.]
     1. (Zool.) Any one of several fur-bearing carnivores of the
        genus Martes (formerly Mustela), closely allied to the
        sable. Among the more important species are the European
        beech marten or stone marten (Martes foina); the
        pine marten (Martes martes); and the American  marten
        , or sable (Martes Americana), which some
        Zoologists consider only a variety of the Russian sable.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     2. The fur of the marten, used for hats, muffs, etc.
        [1913 Webster]

  Martin \Mar"tin\, n. [F. martin, from the proper name Martin.
     Cf. Martlet.] (Zool.)
     One of several species of swallows, usually having the tail
     less deeply forked than the tail of the common swallows.
     [Written also marten.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The American purple martin, or bee martin (Progne subis
            or Progne purpurea), and the European house martin
           , or window martin (Hirundo urbica or
           Chelidon urbica), are the best known species.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Bank martin.
     (a) The bank swallow. See under Bank.
     (b) The fairy martin. See under Fairy.
  
     Bee martin.
     (a) The purple martin.
     (b) The kingbird.
  
     Sand martin, the bank swallow.
        [1913 Webster]

marten - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  marten
      n 1: agile slender-bodied arboreal mustelids somewhat larger
           than weasels [syn: marten, marten cat]