city in southern France, from French Marseille, ultimately from Greek Massilia, probably from a pre-Latin language of Italy, perhaps Ligurian mas "spring."
City in southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea; the second-largest city in France, after Paris, and its main seaport.
Note: “The Marseillaise,” France's national anthem, is so named because it was a martial song popular with soldiers from Marseilles, who sang it upon entering Paris in 1792.