Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *marhaz, from Proto-Indo-European *márkos ‎(“horse”). Cognate with Old Frisian mar ‎(“horse”), merie ‎(“mare”) (West Frisian merje ‎(“mare”)), Old Saxon merge, meriha ‎(“mare”), Dutch merrie ‎(“mare”), Old High German marah ‎(“horse”), meriha ‎(“mare”) (German Mähre ‎(“mare”)), Old Norse marr ‎(“horse”) (Icelandic mar), merr ‎(“mare”) (Swedish märr ‎(“mare”)), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌷𐍃 ‎(marhs). The Indo-European root is also the source of Irish marc and Welsh march ‎(“horse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mæɑrx/