Dictionary

Merlin en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɜːlɪn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmɝlɪn/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English Merlyn, from Medieval Latin Merlinus and Old French Merlin, from Proto-Brythonic *Mor-ðin (literally “sea-hill”), from Proto-Celtic *mori (“sea”) + *dūnom (“stronghold, rampart”).

Meanings

1. A wizard in the Arthurian legend.
   • I NEXT paſſed into the choir; a ſcene of transformation indeed! I had been accuſtomed to contemplate here a far different order of things. Our profeſſional Merlins have waved their wands to ſome purpoſe; and all view, as their familiars invited me to believe, was to be given up to the momentary glance at an Eidophuſicon ſhew of the Reſurrection filling the Eaſt window in that ſpot late our Lady’s chapel, now the termination of the choir. 1803 December, an Architect, “The Pursuits of Architectural Innovation. No. LXVI. Salisbury Cathedral continued.”, in The Gentleman’s Magazine, London: […] Nichols and Son, […], page 1122, column 1:
   • Music, art, entertainment, medicine, and science are being changed before our very eyes by technological Merlins waving silicon wands. 2007, Clyde Freeman Herreid, “Teaching in the Year 2061”, in Clyde Freeman Herreid, editor, Start with a Story: The Case Study Method of Teaching College Science, Arlington, Va.: NSTA Press, →ISBN, section XX (The Future of Case Teaching), page 429:
   • It is a game of chemistry and confidence, where players of gold often make teams of lead, and vice versa. Coaches are like Merlins madly mixing metals, searching for “the right combination,” even if it contradicts common sense. 1978 December 29, Thomas Boswell, “Carr Discovers Mysteries of NBA”, in International Herald Tribune, number 29,827, Paris, published 5 January 1979, page 11, column 4:
2. A male given name.
3. A census-designated place in Josephine County, Oregon, United States.

Forms

Deriveds

Merlinic · Merlinesque · Merlinian · Merthur

Translations (37)

cmn 梅林 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · he מרלין (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · cmn 默林 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · ca Merlí (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · it Merlino (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · ja マーリン (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · pl Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · pt Merlim (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · nl Merlijn (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · ar مرلين (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · br Myrdhin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · es Merlín (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · ko 멀린 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · la Merlinus (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · cmn 魔灵 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · th เมอร์ลิน (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · fa مرلین (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · el Μέρλιν (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · uk Мерлін (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · ru Ме́рлин (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · fi Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · fro Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · cmn 穆林 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · cmn 墨林 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · pnb مرلن (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · de Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · it mago Merlino (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · vi Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · cmn 密林 (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · ro Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · br Merzhin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · pt Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · hy Մեռլին (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · fr Merlin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · kw Marzhin (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · el Μέρλιν ο Μάγος (Wizard in Arthurian legend) · cy Myrddin (Wizard in Arthurian legend)