Mark (designation)

It is often abbreviated as Mk or M. This use of the word possibly originates from the use of physical marks made to measure height or progress.

Furthermore, by metonymy the word mark is used to note a defined level of development or a model number.

The concept shares some similarities with the type designation (in hardware), also called software versioning: 1.0+ (1.1, 1.12, 2.0, 3.0, etc.

), used to designate general software product releases, and other version control schemas.

14 Mk 1 11 lb Hayrick Demolition Charge[8] continued to be referred to by their numerical designations until replacement.

The practice was adopted by the Naval Ordnance group in 1944, and was formalized in the MIL-STD-1661 MARK and MOD Nomenclature System[9] [10] in 1978.

Two Ford Mondeo sedans, a Mk II (grey, left) and a Mk III (blue, right)
VW Golf Mk III
Ruger Mk I at top; Ruger Mk II; Ruger Mk IV Hunter. demonstrates the use of the designation as the name, often referred to simply as "the Mk II", "a Mk III", etc.