merle

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈmər(-ə)l 

variants or less commonly merl

: blackbird sense 1a

merle

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural merles

1

: a coat color pattern of some dogs (such as the border collie, dachshund, and Great Dane) that consists of a typically bluish- or reddish-gray mixed with splotches of black or reddish- brown and that occurs as a result of the lightening or dilution of the normal base coat color so that only dark patches of normal melanin remain

The breed's colors are black or gray or blue merle with white points …

—Patricia Bennett Hoffman

Note: Merle is produced by a semidominant gene and may be accompanied by usually blue eyes and defects in hearing and sight. Merle is considered a standard coat pattern by the American Kennel Club for several breeds of dog (such as the Shetland sheepdog).

2

: a dog displaying the coat color pattern of merle

Personally, I believe the present standard allows sable merles to be shown.

—Marcia K. Keller

Blue merles frequently have one or both eyes blue flecked or blue.

—Suzanne Troy

Examples of merle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Biscuit is a Catahoula/Lab mix with beautiful chocolate merle coloring. —Joy Jackson, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2023

Several original Lalique merles et raisins (blackbirds and grapes) panels survive. —Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2023

The test also identifies genes connected to coat patterns such as dark spotting, merle, white spotting, or saddle tan. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2022

Pomeranians can also be black, cream, blue, brown, black and white, brindle, merle, black and tan, and tricolor, to name just a few of the many colors and patterns that make up their palette. —Kim Campbell Thornton Andrews McMeel, Star Tribune, 22 Jan. 2021

Zeus, who is gray and brown, was born to a merle sire and brindle dam and was the largest puppy in a litter of five. —Tori B. Powell, CBS News, 7 May 2022

Billy, a merle pug mix, was adopted by his family during the pandemic. —PEOPLE.com, 2 Sep. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin merulus; akin to Old English ōsle blackbird, Old High German amsla

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 2