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Glite Dictionary
pine marten

pine marten

1 8.6
A small dark brown animal like a weasel that lives in northern forests
  • noun
  • /paɪn ˈmɑːtən/
  • UK
translation icon : marta de pino
  • In addition, when fox densities were reduced due to the disease, pine marten densities increased, apparently because of the decreased competition from foxes (Lindstrom 1989).
  • pine marten and fox
  • pine marten and moose
  • pine marten and fisher

Examples

  • 5 Responses to thought extinct, surprise find of pine marten in Wales

    Blog text (3)

  • Thought extinct, surprise find of pine marten in Wales.

    Blog text (3)

  • Now, however, a carcass of a pine marten that had been killed by a vehicle has been found on the roadside near Newtown in Powys, and DNA analysis has confirmed that the young male was a native British animal.

    Blog text (3)

  • A tree-climbing relative of the otter and the stoat, the pine marten had become extinct throughout much of Britain by the early 20th century, although numbers of the animal survived in Scotland.

    Blog text (3)

  • One of Britain's rarest and most elusive animals has been found in Wales, after a hunt lasting more than 40 years—the pine marten.

    Blog text (3)

  • While exploring the forests of northern Europe, we spotted a pine marten darting up a tree.

  • The pine marten is known for its nimble movements and ability to hunt small animals in the dense underbrush.

  • During our hike, we were thrilled to see a pine marten playing near the campsite.

Synonyms

Martes martes
vspine marten
  • Specialized
9.9

A dark brown mammal that lives in northern pine forests

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific label

Surface Forms

pine marten singular
pine martens plural

Morphology

pine + marten

The compound is directly compositional: 'marten' names the animal and 'pine' specifies its association or habitat, so the phrase denotes a marten that lives in or is associated with pine trees/forests. This noun+noun pattern indicating type or habitat is common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The name pine marten comes from a simple picture: a marten is a small, dark mammal like a weasel, and it lives among pine trees and in pine woods. So the name literally means 'a marten that lives in pine woods', which helps you remember it is a small forest mammal.