Dictionary

marrow en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɛ(ə)ɹoʊ/ Mary–marry–merry merger
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmæɹoʊ/ without the Mary–marry–merry merger
• mărʹō (General-American)
• /ˈmæɹəʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English mary, marow, marwe, marowȝ, from Old English mearg, from Proto-West Germanic *maʀg, from Proto-Germanic *mazgą, *mazgaz, from Proto-Indo-European *mosgʰos. Compare West Frisian moarch, Dutch merg, German Mark, Swedish märg, Icelandic mergur, and also Russian мозг (mozg, “brain”), Polish mózg (“brain”), Ashkun amōźã, Kamkata-viri muč, muj, Waigali muj, Persian مغز (maġz, “brain”), Sanskrit मज्जन् (majján). Doublet of maghaz.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The substance inside bones which produces blood cells.
   • Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear. 1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1:
   • Chop me up, I like to be hurt / Drink my marrow and blood for dessert 2004, “Eaten”, in Nightmares Made Flesh, performed by Bloodbath:
2. (countable, uncountable) A kind of vegetable similar to a large courgette, zucchini or squash; the mature fruit of certain Cucurbita pepo cultivars.
   • The finest European vegetables, cabbages, cauliflowers, potatoes, vegetable marrow, were lying in the market-hall, awaiting purchasers. 1847, Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, “Steam-Boat Voyage to Barbados”, in Bentley's Miscellany, volume XXII, London: Richard Bentley, page 37:
3. (countable, uncountable) The pith of certain plants.
4. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) The essence; the best part.
   • It takes from our achievements[…]/ The pith and marrow of our attribute. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
   • I cannot commend , with theefe of his marrow, for feare of ill end 1557 February 13 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie, London: […] Richard Tottel, →OCLC; republished London: […] Robert Triphook, […], and William Sancho, […], 1810, →OCLC:
5. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) The inner meaning or purpose.
6. (colloquial, countable) Bone marrow biopsy.
   • This patient will have a marrow today.
7. (obsolete, uncountable) Semen.
   • Parolles: He wears his honour in a box, unseen / That hugs his kicky-wicky here at home, / Spending his manly marrow in her arms / Of Mars’s fiery steed. c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:

Forms

Deriveds

marrow gut · marrowish · marrowless · Boston marrow · spinal marrow · marrow bean · starvation marrow · bone marrow · marrow smear · red marrow · marrowlike · marrowfat · mountain marrow · marrow squash · marrowbone · marrowy · to the marrow · vegetable marrow

Relateds

zucchini · courgette · cucumber · gourd · squash · pickle · gherkin

Synonyms

moral of the story · pith · quintessence · nub · spirit · heartstrings · crux · gist · heart and soul · soul · tenor · gravamen · nuts and bolts · substance · kernel · marrow · inwardness · essence · meat · nitty-gritty · crux · brass tacks · bowels · stuff · punctum saliens · sum · heartstring · drift · gist · heart · core · guts

Translations (146)

km ខួរឆ្អឹង (substance inside bones) · sa मज्जन् (substance inside bones) · sh ср̑ж (substance inside bones) · shi adif (substance inside bones) · ro măduvă (substance inside bones) · ar نِقْيُ ٱلْعَظْم (substance inside bones) · mk коскена срж (substance inside bones) · cy mêr (substance inside bones) · mt qarabagħli (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · bn মজ্জা (substance inside bones) · ru кабачо́к (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · enm marow (substance inside bones) · ja 骨髄 (substance inside bones) · ar نِقْي (substance inside bones) · cs morek (substance inside bones) · hu velő (substance inside bones) · es calabaza (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · pt tutano (substance inside bones) · mt mudullun (substance inside bones) · nn merg (substance inside bones) · hy դդմիկ (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · sv märg (substance inside bones) · be касця́вы мозг (substance inside bones) · ro dovlecel (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · ka ტვინი (substance inside bones) · grc μυελός (substance inside bones) · mi waimongamonga (substance inside bones) · ko 골수 (substance inside bones) · ar مُخُّ ٱلْعَظْم (substance inside bones) · fi luuydin (substance inside bones) · fur medole (substance inside bones) · ota مخ (substance inside bones) · id Sum sum tulang (substance inside bones) · et kondiüdi (substance inside bones) · de Knochenmark (substance inside bones) · vec meoła (substance inside bones) · sv zucchini (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · pl kabaczek (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · vo pif (substance inside bones) · vec mioła (substance inside bones) · tl utik (substance inside bones) · cy maro (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · ota ایلیك (substance inside bones) · de Essenz (essence) · nb marg (substance inside bones) · hi मज्जा (substance inside bones) · de Flaschenkürbis (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · gl calimbornia (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · eo ostocerbo (substance inside bones) · gl cana dos ósos (substance inside bones) · vec miola (substance inside bones) · hy ոսկրածուծ (substance inside bones) · cy mêr (essence) · gl sámago (substance inside bones) · ca moll (substance inside bones) · mi mongamonga (substance inside bones) · fo mergur (substance inside bones) · sh koštana sȓž (substance inside bones) · tr ilik (substance inside bones) · ar كُوسَا (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · pt abobrinha (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · pl szpik kostny (substance inside bones) · et üdi (substance inside bones) · gl cabaza (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · fi kesäkurpitsa (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · la medulla (substance inside bones) · eo medolo (substance inside bones) · sl mozeg (substance inside bones) · da græskar (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · njo-jgl tenüngla (substance inside bones) · th ไขข้อ (substance inside bones) · da marv (substance inside bones) · nl mergpompoen (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · mi kamokamo (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · os магъз (substance inside bones) · sh мо̏ждина (substance inside bones) · hu tök (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · th ไขกระดูก (substance inside bones) · vec megòla (substance inside bones) · de Mark (substance inside bones) · enm marow (essence) · pdt Moakj (substance inside bones) · sco marrae (substance inside bones) · fr moelle osseuse (substance inside bones) · it zucchina (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · pl szpik (substance inside bones) · cmn 髓 (substance inside bones) · es meollo (substance inside bones) · bg ти́квичка (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · scn miduḍḍuni (substance inside bones) · pl esencja (essence) · zza ilıg (substance inside bones) · sa हड्डज (substance inside bones) · ga smior (substance inside bones) · fr courgette (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · gl miolo (substance inside bones) · hi अस्थि मज्जा (substance inside bones) · cs kostní dřeň (substance inside bones) · ca medul·la (substance inside bones) · nrf courge (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · se ađa (substance inside bones) · el κολοκύθα (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · taa yigha' (substance inside bones) · yi מאַרך (substance inside bones) · et luuüdi (substance inside bones) · vi tủy xương (substance inside bones) · gl cana (substance inside bones) · is mergur (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · nl merg (substance inside bones) · oc mesolha (substance inside bones) · ia medulla (substance inside bones) · th แฟง (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · cmn 骨髓 (substance inside bones) · fa مغز (substance inside bones) · uk кістко́вий мо́зок (substance inside bones) · sv squash (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · sh mȍždina (substance inside bones) · ka ძვლის ტვინი (substance inside bones) · bg ко́стен мо́зък (substance inside bones) · nrf m'lon (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · es tuétano (substance inside bones) · hi गूदा (substance inside bones) · txb mrestīwe (substance inside bones) · mhr вем (substance inside bones) · sk kostná dreň (substance inside bones) · hu csontvelő (substance inside bones) · mn чөмөг (substance inside bones) · gl miolo (essence) · it midollo (substance inside bones) · gl medula (substance inside bones) · fr moelle (substance inside bones) · sh sȓž (substance inside bones) · pt miolo (substance inside bones) · fr courge (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · sms õõđ (substance inside bones) · sh коштана ср̑ж (substance inside bones) · ka ყაბაყი (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · vec meola (substance inside bones) · rup mãduã (substance inside bones) · pt medula (substance inside bones) · an miollo (substance inside bones) · ang mearg (substance inside bones) · sk špik (substance inside bones) · ga mearóg (fruit of Cucurbita pepo) · el μεδούλι (substance inside bones) · ru ко́стный мозг (substance inside bones)

marrow en · NOUN · etymology 2

Etymology

From Old Norse margr.

Meanings

1. (Geordie, informal) A friend, pal, buddy, mate.
   • Cheers marrow!
2. (obsolete, slang) A miner's mate or assistant.
   • A 'getter' or miner is paid 1½ to 2 cents per hundred weight of Coals excavated, […] but out of this sum, his "marrows" or assistants who do the business of 'putting' and 'hurrying' for him must be paid […] 1855, Mining Magazine, page 519:
3. (Scotland, archaic) One of a pair; a match; a companion; an intimate associate.
   • The moon’s my constant Mistresse / & the lowlie owle my morrowe. / The flaming Drake and yͤ Nightcrowe make / mee musicke to my sorrowe. c. 1620, anonymous, “Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song” in Giles Earle his Booke (British Museum, Additional MSS. 24, 665)
   • The dreichest saul could see he had sunlicht in his ee, / And there's no his marrow left in the toun. [1917, John Buchan, “[Theocritus in Scots.] The Kirn (Idyll vii).”, in Poems: Scots and English (in Scots), London; Edinburgh: T. C. & E. C. Jack, →OCLC, book I (Scots), page 38:

Forms

Deriveds

half-marrow