Etymology

Occurring in a 1086 Medieval Latin translation of the Domesday Book, from Old English mereswīn ‎(“porpoise”), but probably reborrowed from another Germanic source cognate to the Old English word, from Old Frankish *mariswīn, Middle Dutch meerswijn, or Old Norse marsvīn ‎(“dolphin”), all ultimately from Proto-Germanic *mariswīną ‎(“dolphin, porpoise”). More at mereswine.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maʁ.swɛ̃/