merlin

Meaning

Noun

• A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
• A cytoskeletal protein active in the suppression of tumors.

Origin

• From Middle English merlone, merlion, marlyon, merlyon, merlinge, from Old French emerillon, esmerillon, from Old Frankish *smiril, from Proto-Germanic *smirilaz. Cognate with Old High German smirl, Old Norse smyrill.