1. plural of martin; small birds in the swallow family with forked tails and aerial feeding habits

Examples

• Purple martins return to their nesting boxes each spring.
• The martins swooped low over the lake catching insects.
• We installed martin houses to attract the birds to our yard.
• House martins build their nests under the eaves of buildings.
• The martins gathered on telephone wires before their migration south.
• Sand martins nest in burrows they dig in riverbanks.