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marlin (n.)
large marine game-fish, 1917, shortening of marlinspike fish (1907), from marlinspike, name of a pointed iron tool used by sailors; the fish was so called from the shape of its elongated upper jaw.
also from 1917
Entries linking to marlin
marlinspike (n.)
"pointed iron tool used by sailors to separate strands of rope," 1620s, from spike (n.) + marlin, Middle English merlin (early 15c.) "small line of two strands, used for seizings," from Middle Dutch marlijn "small cord," from marlen "to fasten or secure (a sail)," which is probably frequentative of Middle Dutch maren "to tie, moor" (see moor (v.)). Influenced in Dutch by lijn "line" (n.).
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Trends of marlin
adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.
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updated on November 26, 2018
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Dictionary entries near marlin
marksmanship
mark-up
marl
Marlborough
Marley
marlin
marlinspike
marmalade
marmoreal
marmoset
marmot
