- markedly (adv.)
- 1799, from marked + -ly (2). "A favorite 19th c. adverb" [OED].
- marker (n.)
- Old English mearcere "writer, notary" (glossing Latin notarius "clerk"), literally "one who marks," agent noun from mark (v). Not found again until late 15c., hence modern use is perhaps a separate formation. Meaning "monument stone" is from 1888. Meaning "felt-tipped marker pen" is from 1951, so called because their purpose was to "highlight" text.
- market (n.)
- early 12c., "a meeting at a fixed time for buying and selling livestock and provisions," from Old North French market "marketplace, trade, commerce" (Old French marchiet, Modern French marché), from Latin mercatus "trading, buying and selling, trade, market" (source of Italian mercato, Spanish mercado, Dutch markt, German Markt), from past participle of mercari "to trade, deal in, buy," from merx (genitive mercis) "wares, merchandise," from Italic root *merk-, possibly from Etruscan, referring to various aspects of economics. Meaning "public building or space where markets are held" first attested mid-13c. Sense of "sales, as controlled by supply and demand" is from 1680s. Market value (1690s) first attested in writings of John Locke. Market economy is from 1948; market research is from 1921.
- market (v.)
- 1630s, from market (n.). Related: Marketed; marketing.
- marketable (adj.)
- c. 1600, from market (v.) + -able. Related: Marketably; marketability.
- marketing (n.)
- 1560s, "buying and selling," verbal noun from market (v.). Meaning "produce bought at a market" is from 1701. The business sense, "process of moving goods from producer to consumer with emphasis on advertising and sales," is attested by 1897.
- marketplace (n.)
- late 14c., "place where a market is held," from market (n.) + place (n.). Figurative use is from 1942.
- marking (n.)
- Old English mearcung "action of making marks, branding; mark, pattern of marks, characteristic; constellation," verbal noun from mark (v.). Related: Markings.
- marksman (n.)
- 1650s, from mark (n.1) in Middle English sense of "target" + man; with genitive -s. Earlier form was markman (1570s).
- marksmanship (n.)
- 1823, from marksman + -ship.
- markup (n.)
- also mark up, mark-up, "amount added by a retailer to cover overhead and provide profit," 1899; see mark (v.).
- marl (n.)
- "clayey soil used for fertilizer," late 14c., from Old French marle (Modern French marne), from Late Latin marglia, diminutive of Latin marga "marl," which is said by Pliny to be a Gaulish word, but modern Celtic cognates are considered to be borrowed from English or French. As a verb by late 14c. Medieval Latin margila is the source of Dutch mergel, German Mergel.
- marlin (n.)
- large marine game-fish, 1917, shortening of marlinspike fish (1907), from marlinspike, name of a pointed iron tool used by sailors (see marlinspike). The fish was so called from the shape of its elongated upper jaw.
- marlinspike (n.)
- "pointed iron tool used by sailors to separate strands of rope," 1620s, from spike (n.) + Middle Dutch marlijn "small cord," from marlen "to fasten or secure (a sail)," probably frequentative of Middle Dutch maren "to tie, moor" (see moor (v.)). Influenced in Dutch by Dutch lijn "line" (n.).
- marmalade (n.)
- late 15c., from Middle French marmelade, from Portuguese marmelada "quince jelly, marmalade," from marmelo "quince," by dissimilation from Latin melimelum "sweet apple," originally "fruit of an apple tree grafted onto quince," from Greek melimelon, from meli "honey" (see Melissa) + melon "apple" (see malic). Extended 17c. to "preserve made from citrus fruit."
- marmoreal (adj.)
- "resembling marble," 1798, from Latin marmoreus "of marble," from marmor (see marble) + -al (1).
- marmoset (n.)
- "small monkey," late 14c., from Old French marmoset "grotesque figurine; fool, jester" (late 13c.), perhaps a variant of marmote "long-tailed monkey, ape," then, as a term of endearment, "little child;" said to be from marmonner, marmotter "to mutter, mumble," probably of imitative origin. Some French authorities suggest a derivation of marmoset from marmor "marble," as if "little marble figurine."
- marmot (n.)
- Alpine rodent, c. 1600, from French marmotte, from Romansch (Swiss) murmont (assimilated to Old French marmote "monkey"), from Latin murem montis "mountain mouse."
- Maronite
- 1510s, from Late Latin Maronita, from Maron, name of the founder. A sect of Syrian Christians (4c.), originally Monothelites, subsequently (1216) united with the Catholic Church.
- maroon (n.)
- "very dark reddish-brown color," 1791, from French couleur marron, the color of a marron "chestnut," the large sweet chestnut of southern Europe (maroon in that sense was used in English from 1590s), from dialect of Lyons, ultimately from a word in a pre-Roman language, perhaps Ligurian; or from Greek maraon "sweet chestnut."
- maroon (v.)
- "put ashore on a desolate island or coast," 1724 (implied in marooning), earlier "to be lost in the wild" (1690s); from maron (n.) "fugitive black slave in the jungles of W.Indies and Dutch Guyana" (1660s), earlier symeron (1620s), from French marron, said to be a corruption of Spanish cimmaron "wild, untamed," from Old Spanish cimarra "thicket," probably from cima "summit, top" (from Latin cyma "sprout"), with a notion of living wild in the mountains. Related: Marooned.
- marque (n.)
- "seizure by way of reprisal," mid-15c., in letters of marque "official permission to capture enemy merchant ships," from Anglo-French mark (mid-14c.), via Old French from Old Provençal marca "reprisal," from marcar "seize as a pledge, mark," probably from a Germanic source (compare Old High German marchon "delimit, mark;" see mark (n.1)), but the sense evolution is difficult.
- marquee (n.)
- 1680s, "large tent," from French marquise (mistaken in English as a plural) "linen canopy placed over an officer's tent to distinguish it from others,' " fem. of marquis (see marquis), and perhaps indicating "a place suitable for a marquis." Sense of "canopy over the entrance to a hotel or theater, etc." first recorded 1912 in American English.
- marquetry (n.)
- 1560s, from French marqueterie "inlaid work," from marqueter "to checker" (14c.), frequentative of marquer, from marque (see marque).
- marquis (n.)
- also marquess, c. 1300, title of nobility, from Old French marchis, literally "ruler of a border area," from Old French marche "frontier," from Medieval Latin marca "frontier, frontier territory" (see march (n.1)). Originally the ruler of border territories in various European regions (such as Italian marchese, Spanish marqués); later a mere title of rank, below duke and above count. Related: Marquisate.
- Marrano (n.)
- "Jew or Moor converted to Christianity," 1580s, from Spanish, probably literally "pig, swine," an expression of contempt, from Arabic muharram "forbidden thing" (eating of pork is forbidden by Muslim and Jewish religious law), from haruma "was forbidden" (see harem).
- marriage (n.)
- c. 1300, "action of marrying, entry into wedlock;" also "state or condition of being husband and wife, matrimony, wedlock;" from Old French mariage "marriage; dowry" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *maritaticum (11c.), from Latin maritatus, past participle of maritatre "to wed, marry, give in marriage" (see marry (v.)). The Vulgar Latin word also is the source of Italian maritaggio, Spanish maridaje.
Meaning "a union of a man and woman for life by marriage, a particular matrimonial union" is early 14c. Meanings "the marriage vow, formal declaration or contract by which two join in wedlock;" also "a wedding, celebration of a marriage; the marriage ceremony" are from late 14c. Figurative use (non-theological) "intimate union, a joining as if by marriage" is from early 15c.[W]hen two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions, they are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition until death do them part. [G.B. Shaw, preface to "Getting Married," 1908]
Marriage counseling recorded by 1939. Marriage bed, figurative of marital intercourse generally, is attested from 1580s (bed of marriage is from early 15c.).
- marriageable (adj.)
- 1550s, from marriage + -able. Earlier was mariable (mid-15c.). Related: Marriageability.
- married (adj.)
- "formally wedded," late 14c., from past participle of marry (v.).
- marrow (n.)
- late 14c., from Old English mearg "marrow," earlier mærh, from Proto-Germanic *mazga- (source also of Old Norse mergr, Old Saxon marg, Old Frisian merg, Middle Dutch march, Dutch merg, Old High German marg, German Mark "marrow"), from PIE *mozgo- "marrow" (source also of Sanskrit majjan-, Avestan mazga- "marrow," Old Church Slavonic mozgu, Lithuanian smagenes "brain"). Figurative sense of "inmost or central part" is attested from c. 1400.
- marrowbone (n.)
- late 14c., from marrow + bone (n.). A poetic Old English word for "bone" was mearhcofa "marrow-chamber."
- marrowsky (n.)
- 1863, said to derive from the proper name of a Polish count. "A deformed language in which the initial consonants of contiguous words are transposed" [OED]. Compare spoonerism.
- marry (v.)
- c. 1300, "to give (offspring) in marriage," from Old French marier "to get married; to marry off, give in marriage; to bring together in marriage," from Latin maritare "to wed, marry, give in marriage" (source of Italian maritare, Spanish and Portuguese maridar), from maritus (n.) "married man, husband," of uncertain origin, originally a past participle, perhaps ultimately from "provided with a *mari," a young woman, from PIE root *mari- "young wife, young woman," akin to *meryo- "young man" (source of Sanskrit marya- "young man, suitor").
Meaning "to get married, join (with someone) in matrimony" is early 14c. in English, as is that of "to take in marriage." Said from 1520s of the priest, etc., who performs the rite. Figurative use from early 15c. Related: Married; marrying. Phrase the marrying kind, describing one inclined toward marriage and almost always used with a negative, is attested by 1824, probably short for marrying kind of men, which is from a popular 1756 essay by Chesterfield.
In some Indo-European languages there were distinct "marry" verbs for men and women, though some of these have become generalized. Compare Latin ducere uxorem (of men), literally "to lead a wife;" nubere (of women), perhaps originally "to veil" [Buck]. Also compare Old Norse kvangask (of men) from kvan "wife" (see quean), so, "take a wife;" giptask (of women), from gipta, a specialized use of "to give" (see gift (n.)), so, "to be given."
- marry (interj.)
- a common oath in the Middle Ages, mid-14c., now obsolete, a corruption of the name of the Virgin Mary.
- Mars
- Roman god of war, also the name of the bright red planet, late 14c., from Latin Mars (stem *Mawort-), the Roman god of war, of unknown origin, apparently from earlier Mavors, related to Oscan Mamers. According to Watkins the Latin word is from *Mawort- "name of an Italic deity who became the god of war at Rome ...." He also had agricultural attributes, and might ultimately have been a Spring-Dionysus. The planet was so named by the Romans, no doubt for its blood-like color. The Greeks also called the planet Pyroeis "the fiery."
- Marsala (n.)
- kind of wine, 1806, named for seaport town on the west coast of Sicily, which is said to be from Arabic Mirsa-llahi, literally "the Port of God."
- Marseilles
- city in southern France, from French Marseille, ultimately from Greek Massilia, probably from a pre-Latin language of Italy, perhaps Ligurian mas "spring."
- Marsellaise (n.)
- French national republican song, 1826, from fem. of adjective Marseillais "of Marseilles." The tune originally was "War Song for the Rhine Army," composed (for the Strasbourg volunteers) by royalist officer Capt. Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1760-1836); current name is because it was sung enthusiastically by soldiers from Marseilles advancing on the Tuileries, Aug. 10, 1792.
- marsh (n.)
- Old English mersc, merisc "marsh, swamp," from Proto-Germanic *marisko (source also of Old Frisian and Old Saxon marsk "marsh," Middle Dutch mersch, Dutch mars, German Marsch, Danish marsk), probably from Proto-Germanic *mari- "sea" (see mere (n.)).
- marshal (n.)
- early 13c. as a surname; mid-13c. as "high officer of the royal court;" from Old French mareschal "commanding officer of an army; officer in charge of a household" (Modern French maréchal), originally "stable officer, horse tender, groom" (Frankish Latin mariscaluis) from Frankish *marhskalk or a similar Germanic word, literally "horse-servant" (compare Old High German marahscalc "groom," Middle Dutch maerschalc), from Proto-Germanic *markhaz "horse" (see mare (n.1)) + *skalkaz "servant" (source of Old English scealc "servant, retainer, member of a crew," Dutch schalk "rogue, wag," Gothic skalks "servant").
Cognate with Old English horsþegn. From c. 1300 as "stable officer;" early 14c. as "military commander, general in the army." For development history, compare constable. Also from Germanic are Italian scalco "steward," Spanish mariscal "marshal."
- marshal (v.)
- early 15c., "to tend (horses)," from marshal (n.). Meaning "to arrange, place in order" is from mid-15c.; that of "to arrange for fighting" is from mid-15c. Figurative use by 1690s. Related: Marshaled; marshaling.
- Marshall plan
- 1947, named for its initiator, George C. Marshall (1880-1959), U.S. Secretary of State 1947-49.
- marshland (n.)
- Old English mersclond; see marsh + land (n.).
- marshmallow (n.)
- Old English mersc-mealwe "kind of mallow plant (Althea officinalis) which grows near salt marshes;" from marsh + mallow. The confection (so called from 1877) originally was made from paste from the roots of this plant. The Greek word for the plant, althaea, is from althein "to heal."
- marshy (adj.)
- late 14c., from marsh + -y (2). Related: Marshiness.
- marsupial (adj.)
- 1690s, with -al (1) + Modern Latin marsupialis "having a pouch," coined from Late Latin marsupium "pouch, purse" (Classical Latin marsuppium), from Greek marsipion, diminutive of marsipos "bag, pouch," of foreign, possibly oriental, origin. As a noun from 1805.
- mart (n.)
- "market, gathering for buying and selling," mid-15c., from Middle Dutch markt, from Latin mercatus "trade" (see market).
- marten (n.)
- mid-13c., "skin or fur of the marten," from Old French martrine "marten fur," noun use of fem. adjective martrin "of or pertaining to the marten," from martre "marten," from Frankish *martar or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *marthuz (source also of Old Saxon marthrin "of or pertaining to the marten," Old Frisian merth, Middle Dutch maerter, Dutch marter, Old High German mardar, German Marder, Old English mearþ, Old Norse mörðr "marten"), probably from PIE *martu- "bride," perhaps on some fancied resemblance, or else a Germanic euphemism for the real name of the animal, which might have been taboo.
In Middle English the animal itself typically was called marter, directly from Old French martre, but marten took over this sense in English c. 1400.
- Martha
- fem. proper name, from Aramaic Maretha, literally "lady, mistress," fem. of mar, mara "lord, master." As the type name of one concerned with domestic affairs, it is from Luke x:40, 41. Martha's Vineyard discovered 1602 by English explorer Gabriel Archer and apparently named by him, but the identity of the Martha he had in mind is unknown now.
- martial (adj.)
- late 14c., "warlike," from Latin martialis "of Mars or war," from Mars (genitive Martis), Roman god of war; see Mars. Related: Martially. Martial law, "military rule over civilians," first recorded 1530s.