n.
A confection made of ground almonds or almond paste, egg whites, and sugar, often molded into decorative shapes.
[German, from Italian marzapane, container of a standard size, marzipan, from obsolete Italian, fine box for rare coins or comfits, perhaps from Arabic mawṯabān, king on the throne, Byzantine coin with enthroned Christ figure, perhaps from Aramaic mawtəbā, mawtəbānā, seat, throne, from yəteb, to sit.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
