Word Origin & History
marzipan
1901 (in modern use; earlier march payne, 1494, from Fr. or Du.), from Ger. Marzipan, from It. marzapane, "candy box," in M.L. "small box," earlier, "coin bearing image of seated Christ." One suggestion is that this is from Ar. mawthaban "king who sits still." Nobody seems to quite accept this, but nobody has a better idea.