Etymologically
Log in

Mars

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 04:12. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈmaːrs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmars][1]

Forms

Mārs m sg (genitive Mārtis); third declension[1]

Etymology

Its origin is unknown.[2][3] The Lapis Satricanus has the dative Mamartei, and Oscan Mamert- agrees with it, so de Vaan takes *māmart- as the oldest form, against Walde and Hofmann, who started from Māvors.[4][1] He traces a change *māmart- > *māu̯ort- > Mārt-, but the change of /m/ to /w/ is isolated, so he considers a foreign origin.[4] The forms Marmar and Marmor of the Carmen Arvale are not reliable.[4] Köbler notes that the original function of the god is also unclear.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Old Latin inscriptions, and Köbler from the Twelve Tables, about 450 BC.[4][3]

Semantic evolution

Mars was an ancient Italian god, originally linked with agriculture but in classical times always the god of war, father of Romulus and of the Roman people, and identified with Ares.[5][6][2] His name stood for warfare and fighting, a manner of fighting, martial prowess, suō Marte “by one's own strength”, warlike spirit, the fortune of battle, and an army or forces.[5] The stella Martis was the planet Mars, and the first month of the old year, Mārtius, was named after him.[5][6]

English Mars is recorded about 1300 as the planet and in the late 14th century as the god.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables name him.[3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero names the planet Mars.[5][3]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of bloody war.[5][3]
  • c. 1300 – English Mars is recorded of the planet.[2]

Meanings

Proper noun

  1. Mars, god of war.[5]
  2. Warfare, battle; the fortune of war.[5]
  3. Martial prowess; warlike spirit.[5]
  4. An army, forces.[5]
  5. The planet Mars.[5]
  • Māvors
  • Mārtius
  • English martial
  • English March

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.