marten n 1: agile slender-bodied arboreal mustelids somewhat larger than weasels [syn: {marten}, {marten cat}]
Marten \Mar"ten\ (m[aum]r"t[e^]n), n. (Zool.) A bird. See {Martin}. [1913 Webster]
marten \mar"ten\, n. [From older martern, marter, martre, F. martre, marte, LL. martures (pl.), fr. L. martes; akin to AS. mear[eth], meard, G. marder, OHG. mardar, Icel. m["o]r[eth]r. Cf. {Foumart}.] 1. (Zool.) Any one of several fur-bearing carnivores of the genus {Martes} (formerly {Mustela}), closely allied to the sable. Among the more important species are the European {beech marten} or {stone marten} ({Martes foina}); the {pine marten} ({Martes martes}); and the {American marten}, or {sable} ({Martes Americana}), which some Zoologists consider only a variety of the Russian sable. [1913 Webster +PJC] 2. The fur of the marten, used for hats, muffs, etc. [1913 Webster]
Martin \Mar"tin\, n. [F. martin, from the proper name Martin. Cf. {Martlet}.] (Zool.) One of several species of swallows, usually having the tail less deeply forked than the tail of the common swallows. [Written also {marten}.] [1913 Webster] Note: The American {purple martin}, or {bee martin} ({Progne subis} or {Progne purpurea}), and the European {house martin}, or {window martin} ({Hirundo urbica} or {Chelidon urbica}), are the best known species. [1913 Webster] {Bank martin}. (a) The bank swallow. See under {Bank}. (b) The fairy martin. See under {Fairy}. {Bee martin}. (a) The purple martin. (b) The kingbird. {Sand martin}, the bank swallow. [1913 Webster]