1. any of various new world birds of the family Icteridae, such as the grackle or red-winged blackbird, the male of which has black or predominantly black plumage.
2. an old world songbird (Turdus merula), the male of which is black with a yellow bill. also called merle1.
3. australian A south sea islander kidnapped and sold into slavery in australia; a kanaka.
4. australian to kidnap (a south sea islander) and sell into slavery.

1. A (common) true thrush, Turdus merula, found in woods and gardens over much of eurasia, and introduced elsewhere.
2. A variety of new world birds of the family Icteridae (26 species of icterid bird).

1. in england, a species of thrush (Turdus merula), a singing bird with a fin note; the merle. in america the name is given to several birds, as the Quiscalus versicolor, or crow blackbird; the Agelæus phœniceus, or red-winged blackbird; the cowbird; the rusty grackle, etc. see redwing.
2. among slavers and pirates, a negro or polynesian.
3. A native of any of the islands near Queensland; -- called also kanaka.
4. to engage in the slave trade.

1. the english name of a species of thrush, Merula merula, Turdus merula, or Merula vulgaris, common throughout europe.
2. in america, a bird of the family Icteridæ (which see).
3. in the west indies, the ani, Crotophaga ani, of the family Cuculidæ, or cuckoos; the savanna-blackbird. see cut under ani.
4. A cant term on the coast of africa for a slave.
5. A native of the islands of torres strait.

1. common black european thrush
2. any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black