Martin

views updated May 23 2018

Martin male forename, name of two saints.
St Martin de Porres (1579–1639), a Dominican lay brother, the illegitimate son of a Spanish grandee and a freed black slave from Lima in Peru. He was noted for his dedication to the poor as for his undiscriminating charity to those of all races. His feast day is 5 November.
St Martin of Tours (d.397), French bishop, a patron saint of France. When giving half his cloak to a beggar he received a vision of Christ, after which he was baptized. He joined St Hilary at Poitiers and founded the first monastery in Gaul. St Martin is often shown dividing his cloak with the beggar, or with a globe of fire above his head, seen one day when he said Mass. Another emblem, from the 15th century, is a goose, the migration of which often coincides with his feast. His feast day (Martinmas) is 11 November, and St Martin's summer is a season of fine, mild weather occurring about this time.

Martin

views updated May 21 2018

Martin ★★★ 1977 (R)

Martin is a charming young man, though slightly mad. He freely admits the need to drink blood. Contemporary vampire has found a new abhorrent means of killing his victims. 96m/ C VHS, DVD . John Amplas, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forrest, Elayne Nadeau, Tom Savini, Sarah Venable, George A. Romero, Fran Middleton; D: George A. Romero; W: George A. Romero; C: Michael Gornick; M: Donald Rubinstein.

martin

views updated May 18 2018

martin Fast-flying bird closely related to the swallow and native to Europe and North America. It has long, pointed wings and short legs. Species include the house martin (Delichon urbica), purple martin (Progne subis) and sand martin (Riparia riparia). Family Hirundinidae.

martin

views updated May 21 2018

mar·tin / ˈmärtn/ • n. a swift-flying, insectivorous songbird of the swallow family, typically having a less strongly forked tail than a swallow. • Family Hirundinidae: several genera and numerous species, e.g., the purple martin.

martin

views updated Jun 27 2018

martin bird of the swallow family. XV (Sc. martoune). prob. a use of the name Martin, after St. Martin of Tours.

About this article

Martin

All Sources -
Updated Aug 13 2018 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic