a marsh, fen, or low moist ground, which receives the waters from above without having any descent to carry them off again. Sommer derives the word from the Saxon merfe, "lake;" Salmasius from mare, "a collection of waters;" others from the German merfe, "a muddy place;" and others from mare, of maricetum, à marisfis, i.e. rushes. See Bog, Fen, and Draining.

In Scotland, Ireland, and the north of England, they have a peculiar kind of morasses called moles or peat-moles, whence the country people dig their peat or turf for firing. See Moss.