[ 'mα:tlɪt ]
■ noun Heraldry a bird similar to a swallow but without feet, borne as a charge or a mark of cadency for a fourth son.
Origin
ME (denoting a swift): from OFr. merlet , influenced by martinet (see martin ).
[ 'mα:tlɪt ]
■ noun Heraldry a bird similar to a swallow but without feet, borne as a charge or a mark of cadency for a fourth son.
Origin
ME (denoting a swift): from OFr. merlet , influenced by martinet (see martin ).
Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004