What does merle mean?
Merle most commonly denotes a distinctive coat pattern found in certain dogs. A merle coat combines a base color with mottled, speckled, or patchy markings, often in blue, black, or chocolate, and the term may also refer to a dog displaying the pattern. Merle is not itself a dog breed: it describes an appearance or a genetic coat-color trait, and dogs of several breeds can be merles. The word also names a greyish-blue color and, in older or more literary English, the common blackbird, a thrush whose plumage gives the color term its association with blue-grey. The final sense appears in heraldry, where the bird is represented in characteristic grey or blue-grey coloring. Although the modern dog sense is especially prominent in English-speaking countries, the underlying word has a much older history connected with the bird.
nounA merle is a dog with a coat made up of a base color mottled or speckled with lighter, darker, or contrasting patches, especially blue, black, or chocolate. The word can also denote a greyish-blue color or, archaically, the common blackbird.
- A mottled or speckled coat pattern in dogs, especially one combining a darker base with lighter or contrasting patches.
- A dog displaying such a coat.
- A greyish-blue color associated with the pattern.
- Archaic or literary: the common blackbird.
- Heraldry: grey or blue-grey, as a color associated with the bird.
"The breeder chose a blue merle with striking pale-blue speckles across its dark coat."
"The puppy's merle markings became more distinctive as she grew."
"In heraldry, the merle was traditionally represented as a grey or blue-grey bird."
"The poem refers to the merle singing from the old apple tree."
Usually used when referring to multiple dogs with merle coats; a coat pattern itself is normally discussed in the singular.
"The two merles were energetic but easily startled."
A dog may be called a merle, but merle is not a breed—it is a distinctive coat pattern with an equally colorful history as a name for a thrush.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does merle come from?
The word entered Middle English from Old French merle, meaning a blackbird, and ultimately comes from Latin merula, the term for a blackbird or thrush. Its earliest English sense therefore referred to the bird, including its grey or blue-grey plumage. The color and dog-coat meanings developed later from that original association.
How merle is actually used
In contemporary usage, the word most often describes a dog coat pattern or a dog with that pattern. The bird sense is now mainly archaic, poetic, or heraldic; spelling it "merle" can also be confused with the surname Merle, especially in names and titles.