marrow

1 of 2

noun (1)

mar·​row ˈmer-(ˌ)ō 

ˈma-(ˌ)rō

1

a

: bone marrow

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 tradition

—Clinton Rossiter

3

chiefly British : vegetable marrow

marrowy

ˈmer-ə-wē 

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

Here’s how to get to the marrow of Shenandoah’s famed Blue Ridge in one challenging day: this 9-mile loop showcases why the park is a favorite escape for East Coasters. —Outside Online, 8 Aug. 2024

MPNs are caused by mutations in the stem cells found in your marrow, a.k.a. —Brittany Risher, SELF, 30 July 2024

This procedure involves numbing the skin and inserting a needle into the bone to extract marrow cells. —Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 15 July 2024

But characterization of the bones show that many of them have signs of muscle being cut away and/or having been broken open to extract the marrow. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 3 July 2024

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

Phrases Containing marrow

• bone marrow
• chilled to the bone/marrow
• red marrow
• vegetable marrow

Kids Definition

marrow

noun

mar·​row

ˈmar-ō

1

a

: bone marrow

b

: the substance of the spinal cord

2

: the innermost, best, or essential part : core

Medical Definition

marrow

noun

mar·​row ˈmar-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w) 

1

: bone marrow

2

: the substance of the spinal cord