marker

noun

mark·​er ˈmär-kər 

1

: one that marks

2

: something used for marking: such as

a

: a type of felt tip pen that makes wide lines

drew a tree with green and brown markers

used a permanent marker to label the boxes

b

: any of various sewing devices for making or indicating guidelines

a pin marker for hemlines

3

: score sense 7

specifically : run

4

: promissory note, iou

5

: something that serves to identify, predict, or characterize: such as

a

: biomarker

b

: genetic marker

Synonyms

• label
• tag
• ticket

Examples of marker in a Sentence

A person's accent can be a marker of social class.

the markers on the rock and mineral specimens were old and faded

Recent Examples on the Web

The only misstep, so to speak, is the famous scene when the young dancers in Rose’s traveling troupe are replaced mid-dance by their older selves, a marker of the passage of time. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024

Boosters nevertheless clung to citrus and its markers — the smell of orange blossoms, the crate labels with idyllic scenes of Old California — as proof of our subtropical paradise. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024

Marinelli's cemetery marker pays tribute to his service in the Army's legal corps. —Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024

This reflective mood feeds into the tradition of New Year’s resolutions, which is a societal marker of transition. —Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing marker

• genetic marker

Kids Definition

marker

noun

mark·​er ˈmär-kər 

1

: one that marks

2

: something used for marking

Medical Definition

marker

noun

mark·​er ˈmär-kər 

: something that serves to identify, predict, or characterize

a surface marker on a cell that acts as an antigen

: as

a

: biomarker

The recent discovery of a serological marker for the hepatitis C virus has greatly improved diagnostic accuracy for this form of hepatitis.

—Gary P. Wormser, letter in The Journal of the American Medical Association

b

: genetic marker

The idea in genetic linkage analysis is to see if any particular marker, which serves as a signpost for a specific region of a chromosome, is consistently inherited along with the disease …

—Leslie Roberts, Science

called also marker gene