Marten
/ˈmɑːr.tən/noun
A small carnivorous mammal of the weasel family, valued for its soft fur.
Did you know?The English word survived through French from a Latin name for the animal, and the creature’s prized fur became so culturally important that its name helped shape medieval luxury trade.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mŕ̥tḱos?
“Uncertain; the deeper prehistory of the animal-name is disputed and not securely reconstructed.”
Latin
Latin
martes
“A marten.”
Old French
Old French
martere
“A marten.”
Middle English
English
marten
“A marten; especially the fur of a marten.”
Modern English
English
marten
“A small carnivorous mammal of the weasel family.”