From Middle English merlin, from Middle Low German marling, from Middle Dutch marlijn ("cord"), from marlen, frequentative of maren, from Proto-Germanic *mairōną ("to moor, fasten to"), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-.
Modern English dictionary
Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.
Word of the Day
Get a curated memorable word every day.
Challenge yourself
Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.