Etymology

martian

Mart·ian
M3A1R1T1I1A1N1

Today it means: Of or relating to the planet Mars, or (science fiction) its imagined inhabitants. Full definition →

First used 19th c.Latin Mārtius
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromMārtius“of or relating to the planet Mars”
  2. English todayMartian

From Latin Mārtius (“of or relating to the planet Mars”) + -an (adjective-forming suffix). The word is cognate with Middle English marcien, marcyan, mercien (“subject to the influence or power of the planet Mars; relating to the god Mars, that is, warlike”), Middle French martien (“Martian”) (modern French martien), French Martien (“imaginary inhabitant of Mars; any extraterrestrial”), Italian marziano, Latin Mārtiānus (“Martian”), Portuguese marciano, Spanish marciano.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. Of or relating to the planet Mars, or (science fiction) its imagined inhabitants.
  • from 14th c. Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mars; aggressive, bellicose.
  • 15th–17th c. Pertaining to battle or war; martial, military.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.