mars

IPA/mɑːz/
KK[mˈɑrz]IPA/mɑːrz/

mars — noun

1. the planet with a red-coloured surface, fourth closest to the Sun, lying between

1.nounA2
Definition

the planet with a red-coloured surface, fourth closest to the Sun, lying between the orbits of Earth and Jupiter, and easily visible in the night sky

Example

Beatrix aimed her telescope at Mars and saw a faint red dot.

no article before Mars when used alone as a name

In 2021 a robotic rover touched down on Mars to search for signs of ancient life.

collocation: on Mars

Common collocations
  • on Mars
  • mission to Mars
  • surface of Mars
  • Mars rover
  • land on Mars

Grammar Patterns

Mars + verb

on Mars

to Mars

the planet Mars

Usage Note

Unlike Earth and the Moon, the name Mars is not usually used with the definite article. Say 'Mars is red' not 'the Mars is red'. The phrase 'the planet Mars' is common when introducing the name.

Common Mistakes

Astronauts hope to land on the Mars one day.
Astronauts hope to land on Mars one day.
Planet names like Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn do not take 'the' when used alone.

2. in ancient Roman stories and religion, the god who controlled war and fighting,

2.nounB1
Definition

in ancient Roman stories and religion, the god who controlled war and fighting, and was believed to protect the Roman army

Example

Roman soldiers prayed to Mars before going into battle for protection.

collocation: prayed to Mars

Tara dressed as the god Mars and carried a toy sword for the school festival.

the god Mars — appositive structure

Common collocations
  • god of war
  • temple of Mars
  • worship Mars
  • Roman god Mars
Synonyms
  • Ares

    the Greek equivalent of Mars; Mars is Roman, Ares is Greek

Grammar Patterns

Mars + verb

the god Mars

Mars, the god of war

Usage Note

Mars in Roman mythology corresponds to the Greek god Ares. The month of March (Martius in Latin) is named after this god.

Common Mistakes

In Greek mythology, Mars was the god of war.
In Roman mythology, Mars was the god of war.
The Greek equivalent is Ares, not Mars. Mars belongs to Roman mythology.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These are all planets in our solar system, but Mars is unique for being the fourth from the Sun and for its red appearance, caused by iron oxide on its surface. Unlike Earth, Mars has a very thin atmosphere, no liquid water on its surface, and extreme cold. Venus is similar in size to Earth but is much hotter and covered in thick clouds. Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants far larger than Mars, with many moons and ring systems. When talking about space exploration, 'Mars' is the most common destination after the Moon, because scientists believe it may once have supported life.

Mars ↗Venus ↗Earth ↗Jupiter ↗Saturn ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Mars rover
  • Mars mission
  • Mars landing
  • Mars surface
  • Mars atmosphere

Phrases

  • the planet Mars
  • a year on Mars
  • the surface of Mars

Prepositions

  • on Mars
  • to Mars
  • from Mars

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The name Mars comes from the Latin word Mārs, the name of the Roman god of war. Ancient astronomers named the planet after the god because its red colour reminded them of blood and battle. The English name has been used for the planet since the 1300s and for the god since ancient times.