marten

noun

mar·​ten ˈmär-tᵊn 

plural marten or martens

1

: any of several semiarboreal slender-bodied carnivorous mammals (genus Martes) of the weasel family that occur in the northern hemisphere

2

: the fur or pelt of a marten

Examples of marten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The coastal marten, also known as the Humboldt marten, is about the size of a ferret and lives in coastal forests. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

Forty-six different martens, consisting of 28 males and 18 females, were found following genetic analysis of hair, per the OSU release. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026

The genetic analysis of the hair identified 46 different martens (18 females and 28 males) living in Klamath, California. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026

Specifically, state law prohibits salvage of: badger, bobcat, brant, coot, crow, cub bear, duck, elk, fisher, Florida gallinule, geese, marten, moose, otter, snipe, sora rail, spotted fawn deer, Virginia rail, wild turkey, wolf, and woodcock. —Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English martryn, from Anglo-French martrine marten fur, from Old French martre marten, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English mearth marten

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing marten

• baum marten
• pine marten

Rhymes for marten

• carton
• garten
• parton
• quartan
• spartan
• tartan
• kindergarten

Kids Definition

marten

noun

mar·​ten ˈmärt-ᵊn 

plural marten or martens

: a slender flesh-eating mammal that is larger than the related weasels and has soft gray or brown fur

also : its fur