noun
Mari
MAH-ree
noun
1
A member of the Mari people, a Volga-Finnic ethnic group of the Volga region of Russia.
"The Mari have preserved much of their traditional folklore."
name
1
The Finno-Ugric language spoken by the Mari people.
"She is learning Mari to research her family's heritage."
2
An ancient Sumerian and Amorite city, now the archaeological site of Tell Hariri in Syria.
"Excavations at Mari uncovered thousands of cuneiform tablets."
How to Use Mari
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRefers either to an ancient Middle Eastern city or to a Finno-Ugric people and language in Russia — two unrelated senses sharing one name.
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The _____ have preserved much of their traditional folklore.
Etymology
The city name traces to Akkadian, linked to Mer, an ancient Mesopotamian storm deity; the ethnic/language sense is unrelated, native to the Mari people's own name for themselves.