# merlin

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɝlɪn/ · frequency rank #16,749

## Definitions
1. A small falcon, Falco columbarius, that breeds in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.

## Etymology
From Middle English merlioun, merlion, marlyon, merlyon, merlinge, from Old French emerillon, esmerillon, from Old Frankish *smiril (“falcon, hawk”), from Proto-Germanic *smirilaz (“falcon, merlin”). Cognate with Old High German smirl (“falcon”), Old Norse smyrill (“falcon”).

## Easily confused with
- **Morin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merlin-vs-morin)
- **Merton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merlin-vs-merton)
- **Merlot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merlin-vs-merlot)
- **moulin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merlin-vs-moulin)
- **Mervyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merlin-vs-mervyn)
- **muslin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merlin-vs-muslin)
- **Mein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mein-vs-merlin)
- **merit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merit-vs-merlin)
- **melon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/melon-vs-merlin)
- **Marin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/marin-vs-merlin)
- **merle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merle-vs-merlin)
- **merci** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merci-vs-merlin)
- **Malin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malin-vs-merlin)
- **martin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/martin-vs-merlin)
- **margin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/margin-vs-merlin)
- **Marvin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/marvin-vs-merlin)
- **Melvin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/melvin-vs-merlin)
- **mellon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mellon-vs-merlin)
- **marlin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/marlin-vs-merlin)
- **merino** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/merino-vs-merlin)

## Common misspellings (9)
`emrlin`, `melrin`, `meriln`, `merlinn`, `merllin`, `merlni`, `merrlin`, `mmerlin`, `mrelin`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/merlin