'Purple martin' definitions:

Definition of 'purple martin'

From: WordNet
noun
Large North American martin of which the male is blue-black [syn: purple martin, Progne subis]

Definition of 'Purple martin'

From: GCIDE
  • Purple \Pur"ple\, a.
  • 1. Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority. [1913 Webster]
  • Hide in the dust thy purple pride. --Shelley. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Blood-red; bloody. [1913 Webster]
  • May such purple tears be alway shed. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • I view a field of blood, And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • Purple bird (Zool.), the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule.
  • Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite.
  • Purple grackle (Zool.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow.
  • Purple martin. See under Martin.
  • Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.
  • Purple shell. See Ianthina. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'purple martin'

From: GCIDE
  • Martin \Mar"tin\, n. [F. martin, from the proper name Martin. Cf. Martlet.] (Zool.) One of several species of swallows, usually having the tail less deeply forked than the tail of the common swallows. [Written also marten.] [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The American purple martin, or bee martin ({Progne subis} or Progne purpurea), and the European {house martin}, or window martin (Hirundo urbica or Chelidon urbica), are the best known species. [1913 Webster]
  • Bank martin. (a) The bank swallow. See under Bank. (b) The fairy martin. See under Fairy.
  • Bee martin. (a) The purple martin. (b) The kingbird.
  • Sand martin, the bank swallow. [1913 Webster]