Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French martel (c1140 in Old French, now historical and figurative; Middle French, French marteau (1380)) < post-classical Latin martellus (a636 in Isidore), variant of classical Latin martulus (with substitution of suffix -ellus -ellus suffix for -ulus -ulus suffix; compare the form martiolus in Petronius, probably remodelled after malleolus malleolus n.), variant of marculus , itself perhaps related to malleus (see malleus n.): Paulus Diaconus (8th cent.) regards marculus as a diminutive of marcus , which is however not attested in classical Latin and may be a back-formation. Compare Spanish martillo (1220–50), Portuguese martelo (1220 as a personal name), Italian martello (c1308), Old Occitan martel (14th cent.), marteu (1403). Compare morteaulx n.Attested as a surname in England from the late 11th cent., as Goisfridus Martel (1086), Willelmus Martel (1154–5), Gilbertus Martel (1200), etc., although it is unclear whether these are to be interpreted as reflecting the Middle English or the Anglo-Norman word. Its popularity may be attributed to Charles Martel (c688–741), illegitimate son of Pepin of Herstal and grandfather of Charlemagne, who received the byname from the force with which he was taken to have ‘hammered’ the Saracens at the battle of Poitiers in 732. However, later uses may represent an occupational name for a smith. Compare also the following earlier attestations, which can be intrepreted as showing either the Middle English or the Anglo-Norman word:1319 in D. Yaxley Researcher's Gloss. Hist. Documents E. Anglia (2003) 154 j martell ij wymbles & ij perceurs.1336 in N. H. Nicolas Hist. Royal Navy (1847) II. 473 [For two] marcell [at 3 d. each]. The expression martel de fer is rare or unknown as the name of a weapon in Anglo-Norman, Old French, Middle French, or French, although it appears with the sense ‘sledgehammer’ in an Old French lapidary; however, compare post-classical Latin martellus de ferro denoting an iron hammer in a Tower of London inventory of 1388.

Etymology: Probably variant of marter n.¹ or marten n. (perhaps compare -el suffix²); compare earlier martlet n.¹Comparable forms in other languages are probably coincidental: compare French regional (southern) martulo weasel, Italian regional (Tuscany) mártola, márdola marten, Middle Dutch martel marten, Middle High German mardel marten (recorded in L. Diefenbach Gloss. Latino-Germanicum (1857) 349/1, alongside post-classical Latin mardalus, mardellus, martalus, martallus, all in German glossaries).

Etymology: Shortened < Martilmas, Martlemas, Scots variants of Martinmas n.The metre of the quot. suggests the stress pattern ˈmartel.

Etymology: < martel n.¹ Compare Old French, Middle French, French marteler (c1170), Spanish martillar (c1250; also martillear), Italian martellare (c1305).