marlin

noun

mar·​lin ˈmär-lən How to pronounce marlin (audio)
: any of several large marine billfishes (genera Makaira and Tetrapturus) that are notable sport fishes

Examples of marlin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Giant fish swim by and check him out—dusky sharks, hammerheads, marlins, silky sharks and swordfish, which have whacked at least one of his fellow divers. Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Dec. 2023 One side would go up into the Cyclops Mountains to search for an echidna while the other party would go to the ocean to find a marlin. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Nov. 2023 The prize for catching the biggest marlin overall was $2,769,400. Brandon Sneed, New York Times, 10 July 2023 The Atlantic longbill spearfish—a rare relative of sailfish and marlin—is part of the line up as well. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 9 Nov. 2023 The post reported the fish’s measurements as 139 inches by 84 inches and noted that the giant is likely the first grander marlin caught in the Gulf in many years. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 26 Oct. 2023 The Sensation has theorized this marlin’s wounds may have fallen into those categories. Eric Levenson, CNN, 21 June 2023 Bochy welcomed Brown by directing him to a hard-plastic replica of a marlin. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2023 Hemingway Days began Tuesday and will include literary readings, a commemoration of the 124th anniversary of his July 21 birthday, a museum exhibit of rare Hemingway memorabilia and a three-day marlin tournament recalling his passion for deep-sea angling. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 22 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marlin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

short for marlinspike; from the appearance of its beak

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marlin was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near marlin

Cite this Entry

“Marlin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marlin. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

marlin

noun
mar·​lin ˈmär-lən How to pronounce marlin (audio)
: any of several large saltwater sport fishes related to sailfishes

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