different between marl vs merl

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: mäl, IPA^(key): /m??l/
• (General American) enPR: märl, IPA^(key): /m??l/
• Rhymes: -??(?)l

Etymology 1

From Middle English marle, from Old French marle, from Late Latin marglia, diminutive of marga (“marl”).

Alternative forms

• marle

Noun

marl (countable and uncountable, plural marls)

1. A mixed earthy substance, consisting of carbonate of lime, clay, and possibly sand, in very variable proportions, and accordingly designated as calcareous, clayey, or sandy.
   • 1975, Saul Bellow, Humboldt's Gift [Avon ed., 1976, p. 231]:

     The surroundings were unearthly. It was not a fish setting—only bare rock, no trees, pungent sagebrush, and marl dust floating when a truck passed.

   Synonym: marlstone

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• greensand

Verb

marl (third-person singular simple present marls, present participle marling, simple past and past participle marled)

1. (transitive) To cover with the earthy substance called marl.

Etymology 2

Verb

marl (third-person singular simple present marls, present participle marling, simple past and past participle marled)

1. (nautical) To cover, as part of a rope, with marline, marking a peculiar hitch at each turn to prevent unwinding.

   Synonym: marline

Translations

References

Anagrams

• RAML

English

Noun

merl (plural merls)

1. Alternative form of merle (blackbird)

Anagrams

• Erml

Romansch

Etymology

From Late Latin merulum, from Latin merula.

Noun

merl m (plural merls)

1. (Puter, Vallader) blackbird

Synonyms

• (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Surmiran) merlotscha
• (Sutsilvan) marlotscha