Uncertain. Mayrhofer draws a connection to Latin Mārs (originally Māvors, from either Proto-Italic *Māwortis or *Māmart-) and Oscan 𐌌𐌀𐌌𐌄𐌓𐌕- (mamert-).
Mayrhofer also notes that more authors assume a suffixal -उत् (-ut, “breathing”), from the root वा (vā, “to breathe”); compare वात (vāta, “wind”), which in the plural can also refer to the Maruts.[1] For मर्- (mar-), he considers several origin possibilities:
| singular | dual | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | मरुत् (marút) | मरुतौ (marútau) मरुता¹ (marútā¹) |
मरुतः (marútaḥ) |
| vocative | मरुत् (márut) | मरुतौ (márutau) मरुता¹ (márutā¹) |
मरुतः (márutaḥ) |
| accusative | मरुतम् (marútam) | मरुतौ (marútau) मरुता¹ (marútā¹) |
मरुतः (marútaḥ) |
| instrumental | मरुता (marútā) | मरुद्भ्याम् (marúdbhyām) | मरुद्भिः (marúdbhiḥ) |
| dative | मरुते (marúte) | मरुद्भ्याम् (marúdbhyām) | मरुद्भ्यः (marúdbhyaḥ) |
| ablative | मरुतः (marútaḥ) | मरुद्भ्याम् (marúdbhyām) | मरुद्भ्यः (marúdbhyaḥ) |
| genitive | मरुतः (marútaḥ) | मरुतोः (marútoḥ) | मरुताम् (marútām) |
| locative | मरुति (marúti) | मरुतोः (marútoḥ) | मरुत्सु (marútsu) |