1960s. From Russian megrel, megrelec (nouns) person from Mingrelia, megrel′skij (adjective) Mingrelian (in megrel′skij jazyk the Mingrelian language), probably via Georgian megreli, noun and human adjective, megruli, non-human adjective from Mingrelian margali (noun (plural margalepi) and human adjective) self-designation, margaluri (non-human adjective; in margaluri nina the Mingrelian language).