purple martin
n 1: large North American martin of which the male is blue-black
[syn: {purple martin}, {Progne subis}]
Purple \Pur"ple\, a.
1. Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much
esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or
red and blue color; as, a purple robe.
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2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been
an emblem of imperial authority.
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Hide in the dust thy purple pride. --Shelley.
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3. Blood-red; bloody.
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May such purple tears be alway shed. --Shak.
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I view a field of blood,
And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. --Dryden.
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{Purple bird} (Zool.), the European purple gallinule. See
under {Gallinule}.
{Purple copper ore}. (Min.) See {Bornite}.
{Purple grackle} (Zool.), the crow blackbird. See under
{Crow}.
{Purple martin}. See under {Martin}.
{Purple sandpiper}. See under {Sandpiper}.
{Purple shell}. See {Ianthina}.
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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}.]
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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.
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{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.
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