Mar·tin, n.  Zool. One of several species of swallows, usually having the tail less deeply forked than the tail of the common swallows. [Written also marten.]
 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.
 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.

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 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.
 2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority.
    Hide in the dust thy purple pride.   --Shelley.
 3. Blood-red; bloody.
    May such purple tears be alway shed.   --Shak.
 I view a field of blood,
 And Tiber rolling with a purple blood.   --Dryden.
 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.


 purple martin
      n : large North American martin of which the male is blue-black
          [syn: Progne subis]