mario
n. countablen. a famous video game character who is a plumber with a red hat and a mustache. He is the main hero in many games made by Nintendo.
n. the central protagonist of a major video game franchise, typically depicted as an Italian plumber who navigates platforming environments to rescue a princess.
Mario jumps over the green pipes to reach the end of the level.
Many children first learn how to use a game controller by playing as Mario in a platforming game.
The cultural impact of Mario extends far beyond gaming, as the character has become a global icon recognized by people of all ages across different media platforms.
Borrowed from Italian and Spanish Mario, both of which coming from Latin Marius.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
A proper noun; almost always capitalized. When used as a countable noun, it refers to different versions or iterations of the character.
Last updated May 2, 2026