noun
- plural of martlet; small birds resembling swallows or martins
- heraldic birds depicted without feet, used as symbols in coats of arms
Usage: heraldry
Examples
- The martlets nested under the eaves of the old barn.
- Three golden martlets appeared on the family’s coat of arms.
- The heraldic martlets symbolized the fourth son in medieval tradition.
- Flocks of martlets returned each spring to the same nesting sites.
- The shield bore five martlets arranged in a cross pattern.
- Martlets are often confused with swallows by casual observers.