merlette

A merlette in French heraldry

Meaning

Noun

In French heraldry, a depiction of a mythological bird without beak or feet.

Origin

From Late Middle English, from Anglo-Norman merlet (from merle + -et), or from Middle French merlette ("little blackbird; merlette (heraldic charge)") (from merle—formerly a feminine noun) + -ette. Merle is from Latin merula ("blackbird"), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ems- ("[[black#Adjective").

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