marrow

1 of 2

noun (1)

mar·​row ˈmer-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce marrow (audio)
ˈma-(ˌ)rō
1
b
: the substance of the spinal cord
2
a
: the choicest of food
b
: the seat of animal vigor
c
: the inmost, best, or essential part : core
personal liberty is the marrow of the American traditionClinton Rossiter
3
chiefly British : vegetable marrow
marrowy
ˈmer-ə-wē How to pronounce marrow (audio)
ˈma-rə-
adjective

marrow

2 of 2

noun (2)

chiefly Scotland
: one of a pair
Phrases
to the marrow
: very deeply : very much : completely and thoroughly
I was wet and chilled to the marrow, till I felt more dead than alive.Jack London

Examples of marrow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Henson delivers a performance that is vitally alive in her portrayal of blues artist Shug Avery, a woman whose entire being is designed to suck the marrow out of life. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2023 Ancient humans in Spain may have dug up their deceased relatives to make tools from their bones—and possibly to eat the marrow within, new research suggests. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2023 Many of the skull and long bones were fractured while the bones were still fresh, perhaps to allow the surviving people of the group to extract the nutritious marrow. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 22 Sep. 2023 For broth with the most body and richness, include beef leg bones (called marrow bones, for the tube of marrow in the center) and beef knuckles. Kathleen Purvis, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Certain bones, however, appeared to have had the marrow removed, which might suggest consumption or an attempt to clean them. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2023 Patients also need to be hospitalized for weeks while the edited cells make their way to the bone marrow and start making new blood cells. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2023 At that point, doctors must clear the patient’s marrow with intensive chemotherapy to make way for the new cells. Gina Kolata, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2023 Stem cells must be released from the marrow into the blood so they can be collected. Gina Kolata, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marrow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English marowe, from Old English mearg; akin to Old High German marag marrow, Sanskrit majjan

Noun (2)

Middle English marwe, marrow

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1516, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marrow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near marrow

Cite this Entry

“Marrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marrow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

marrow

noun
mar·​row
ˈmar-ō
1
b
: the substance of the spinal cord
2
: the innermost, best, or essential part : core

Medical Definition

marrow

noun
1
2
: the substance of the spinal cord
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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