purple martin

noun

: a large swallow (Progne subis) of North America the males of which have glossy purplish-blue plumage

Examples of purple martin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
And where there are purple martins, there's a parking lot packed with visitors ready for a show. Nicole Cobler, Axios, 2 Aug. 2024 Beryl did not impact the purple martins, Leung says. Nicole Cobler, Axios, 2 Aug. 2024 Birds that forage for insects during flight, such as swallows and purple martins, also leave the sky. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 But purple martins—shimmery, blackish-bluish swallows native to North America—just can’t get enough. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for purple martin 

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purple martin was in 1731

Dictionary Entries Near purple martin

Cite this Entry

“Purple martin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purple%20martin. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

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