marrow

English

Etymology 1

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”), Persian مغز (mağz, “brain”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmæɹəʊ/
• (General American) enPR: mărʹō
  • (Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA^(key): /ˈmæɹoʊ/
  • (Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ(ə)ɹoʊ/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æɹəʊ

Noun

marrow (countable and uncountable, plural marrows)

1. (uncountable) The substance inside bones which produces blood cells.
   • 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, chapter III, in Nobody, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 1915, →OCLC:

     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.

   • 2004, “Eaten”, performed by Bloodbath:

     Chop me up, I like to be hurt / Drink my marrow and blood for dessert

3. A kind of vegetable like a large courgette/zucchini or squash.
   • 1847, Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, “Steam-Boat Voyage to Barbados”, in Bentley's Miscellany, volume XXII, London: Richard Bentley, page 37:

     The finest European vegetables, cabbages, cauliflowers, potatoes, vegetable marrow, were lying in the market-hall, awaiting purchasers.

4. The pith of certain plants.
5. The essence; the best part.
   • 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 Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     It takes from our achievements […] / The pith and marrow of our attribute.

   • 1557 February 13, Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie., London: Richard Tottel, →OCLC; republished London: Robert Triphook, , and William Sancho, , 1810, →OCLC:

     I cannot commend , with theefe of his marrow, for feare of ill end

6. Inner meaning or purpose.
7. (medicine, colloquial, countable) Bone marrow biopsy.

   This patient will have a marrow today.

8. (obsolete) (uncountable) Semen.
   • 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 Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     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.

Synonyms

• (the essence; the best part): crux, gist; See also Thesaurus:gist

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Etymology 2

From Old Norse margr.

Alternative forms

• marra

Noun

marrow (plural marrows)

1. (Geordie, informal) A friend, pal, buddy, mate.

   Cheers marrow!

2. (mining, slang, obsolete) A miner's mate or assistant.
   • 1855, Mining Magazine, page 519:

     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 […]

3. (Scotland or archaic) One of a pair; a match; a companion; an intimate associate.
   • c. 1620, anonymous, “Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song” in Giles Earle his Booke (British Museum, Additional MSS. 24, 665):

     The moon’s my constant Mistresse / & the lowlie owle my morrowe. / The flaming Drake and yͤ Nightcrowe make / mee musicke to my sorrowe.