Marseilles

[mahr-sey]

noun

a seaport in and the capital of Bouches-du-Rhône department, in SE France.

French Mar·seille

[mar-se-yuh] /marˈsɛ yə/.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for marseille

marseille

marseilles (mɑːˈseɪlz)

noun

a strong cotton fabric with a raised pattern, used for bedspreads, etc

Word Origin for marseille

C18: from Marseille quilting, made in Marseille

Marseille

noun

a port in SE France, on the Gulf of Lions: second largest city in the country and a major port; founded in about 600 bc by Greeks from Phocaea; oil refining. Pop: 798 430 (1999)Ancient name: Massilia English name: Marseilles (mɑːˈseɪ, -ˈseɪlz)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for marseille

Marseilles

city in southern France, from French Marseille, ultimately from Greek Massilia, probably from a pre-Latin language of Italy, perhaps Ligurian mas "spring."

marseille in Culture

Marseilles

[(mahr-say)]

City in southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea; the second-largest city in France, after Paris, and its main seaport.

Note

“The Marseillaise,” France's national anthem, is so named because it was a martial song popular with soldiers from Marseilles, who sang it upon entering Paris in 1792.