: 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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebSolitary trappers poke trails into some remote sections in search of marten during the winter months, but with the dismal demand for furs, trappers are a disappearing breed. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 4 June 2022 Pine marten, wildcats, and other rare species thrive. Cathleen O'grady, The Atlantic, 20 May 2022 The fisher cat is a member of the weasel family and is most closely related to a mink or a marten. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2022 That would equate to over 1,000 marten in a three-month season. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Jan. 2022 Aristotle also compared the dog to a marten, a member of the weasel family, perhaps because of its size.New York Times, 4 Oct. 2021 Pelts from these marten are used world-wide to make clothing for warmth and fashion. Toby Walrath, Outdoor Life, 7 Dec. 2020 Mink are members of the Mustelidae family that also includes weasels, badgers, otters, marten and wolverines. Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2020 Top prices for marten are around $70, and that is for the best — the average will come in far lower. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Jan. 2020 See More
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