marchen

['merkən]

marchen (n.): 1871, "German fairy or folk tale," from German Märchen, "a story or tale," from Middle High German merechyn "short verse narrative," from Old High German mari "news, tale," from Proto-Germanic *mærjo- "renowned, famous, illustrious" (source of Old English mære; see more (adj.)) + diminutive suffix -chen.