marque
noun

- a make of car, as distinct from a specific model

Oxford English Dictionaries

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ORIGIN

Although it's difficult to understand how it evolved etymologically, marque is thought to stem from the French marque, which in the 15th century referred to an official permission to capture enemy merchant ships. The French marque in turn derived from the Anglo-French "mark" (a reprisal, to seize as a pledge for something), which is probably from a Germanic or Scandinavian source such as the German Mark.

Marque is a chiefly British term used to note a specific make or brand (U.S. English term for marque) of car. Many major automobile manufacturers have several marques. BMW for instance owns the Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW marques. Within the BMW marque, the company produces various models, such as the 3, 5 and 7 series. Volkswagen has an even broader range of marques that includes VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ducati, Scania and MAN.

Marque should not be confused with "marquee," which in British English refers to a large tent used for social or commercial functions. In North America a marquee is a canopy projecting over the entrance to a theatre, hotel, or other building (compare to the German "Markise"). It is also used as a modifier to indicate leading or pre-eminent (marquee player in sports).

Marque should also not be confused with "marquis," which in some European countries means a nobleman ranking above a count and below a duke.

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SYNONYMS

brand, make

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Practice OWAD in a conversation:

"A variety of MARQUES would allow companies to target different markets."