Brewer's: Merlan

(French). A whiting, or a hairdresser. Perruquiers are so called because at one time they were covered with flour like whiting prepared for the frying-pan.

“Madressant à un merlan qui filait une perruque sur un peigne de fer.” —Chateaubriand: Mémoíres à Outre-Tombe.

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