me|ri|no

me|ri|no «muh REE noh», noun, plural -nos, adjective.

–n.

1. Often, Merino. any one of a breed of sheep with long, fine wool and (on the full-grown male) large, spiral horns. It is of Spanish origin.

2. the wool of this sheep.

3. a soft woolen yarn made from it.

4. a thin, soft, woolen fabric made from this yarn or some substitute.

–adj.

made of this wool, yarn, or fabric.

╂[< Spanish merino, apparently < the name of a Moorish tribe, whose sheep were imported in order to improve the local breed]