Merino Sheep
Preserved but no longer current.
A Spanish breed of sheep, very valuable for their wool. The word is the Latin majorinus, and may originally have indicated a specially large breed of sheep, or have been the official designation of the overseer of the pastures.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Merino Sheep” mean?
A Spanish breed of sheep, very valuable for their wool. The word is the Latin majorinus, and may originally have indicated a specially large breed of sheep, or have been the official designation of the overseer of the pastures.
Is “Merino Sheep” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.