merl
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Common black European thrush: A small to medium-sized songbird, specifically the common blackbird (Turdus merula), native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The male is characterized by its entirely black plumage and bright yellow eye-ring and bill.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- We could hear the melodious song of a merl from the garden.
- The merl is a familiar sight in European parks and woodlands.
Advanced Usage
- The word "merl" is an archaic or dialectal term, primarily used in Scottish and Northern English dialects. In modern standard English, the bird is almost exclusively called a "blackbird".
- In the old poem, the poet referred to the singing bird as a "merl".
Variants and Related Words
- Blackbird (n): The standard modern English term for the common black European thrush ().
- The blackbird built a nest in the hedge.
- Merle (n): A variant spelling, also used in heraldry and as a surname.
- Ouzel or ousel (n): An archaic term for a blackbird, sometimes used in compound names like "ring ouzel".
Synonyms
- Blackbird: The most common and direct synonym.
- Common blackbird: A more precise descriptive synonym.
- Eurasian blackbird: A synonym specifying its geographic range.
Related Phrases
- None commonly associated with the specific term "merl". Common phrases are associated with the modern term "blackbird" (e.g., ).
Related Idioms
- None directly associated with the term "merl". Idioms typically use the word "blackbird".
Noun
- common black European thrush