marquer

From Middle French marquer (15th c.), from northern Old French merchier, merquer, denominal from merc (“sign”), from Old Norse merki. The -a- may be due to a general variation in Middle French, but was likely reinforced by Italian marcare (13th c.), which is derived from Latin marca, from a confluence of Proto-West Germanic *mark and *marku, both related with the Old Norse above. Latin marca is also the source of French marche (“frontier”).

• IPA^(key): /maʁ.ke/

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marquer

1. (transitive) to mark, mark down (to add a mark or a spot to something)

   Marquer le papier.

   To mark [down] the paper.

2. (transitive) to mark (to place a mark in something as a reminder)

   Marquer la page dans le livre

   Mark a page in a book.

3. (transitive) to brand (brandish someone's skin with a mark)

   Marquer la peau avec du fer chaud.

   To mark/brand one's skin with hot iron.

4. (transitive) to mark (to feature as a highlight of something)

   Ce projet va marquer l’avenir de la firme.

   This project will mark the company's future.

5. (transitive, sports) to score (e.g. a point or a goal)

   Vous devez marquer trois buts si vous voulez gagner.

   You must score three goals if you want to win.

• “marquer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.