The Marathi people or Maharashtrians (Marathi: मराठी माणसं or महाराष्ट्रीय) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages. Although their history goes back more than a millennium, the community came to prominence when Maratha warriors under His Majesty, His Highness Shivaji Maharaj established the Maratha Empire in 1674. ‘Mee Marathi’ (मी मराठी, ‘I am Marathi’) are two words that have always inculcated Marathi pride.

If regarded as a single ethnic group, the Marathi constitute one of the world's largest.