marrow: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Primarily literary, formal, or technical/medical; the vegetable sense is informal (UK-specific).
Quick answer
What does “marrow” mean?
The soft, fatty, vascular tissue that fills most bone cavities and produces blood cells.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The soft, fatty, vascular tissue that fills most bone cavities and produces blood cells; the essential, most vital, or strongest part of something.
The central, innermost, or most important part of something. Also, specifically, a large, long, white-fleshed variety of summer squash (vegetable) commonly used in cooking, especially in the UK.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'marrow' commonly refers to the vegetable (a type of squash). In American English, this vegetable is typically called 'squash' (e.g., 'vegetable marrow' is not a common term). The anatomical/figurative senses are shared.
Connotations
UK: Strong concrete association with the vegetable in everyday contexts. US: Primarily anatomical/figurative, with no vegetable association for most speakers.
Frequency
The vegetable sense is high-frequency in UK domestic/culinary contexts but zero-frequency in US English. The 'vital part' sense is low-frequency in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “marrow” in a Sentence
the marrow of [abstract noun][be verb] chilled/frozen to the marrowdonate/extract marrowVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in metaphors: 'Innovation is the marrow of our business strategy.'
Academic
Used in medical/biological contexts (anatomy, hematology). Figuratively in humanities: 'the marrow of the argument'.
Everyday
In UK: 'I'm making stuffed marrow for dinner.' In US/UK: 'I'm chilled to the marrow' (expression).
Technical
Standard in medicine: 'bone marrow aspiration', 'hematopoietic marrow'.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “marrow”
- Using 'marrow' to mean 'brain' (e.g., 'the marrow of the organization' is fine, but 'the intellectual marrow' is odd).
- In US English, using 'marrow' to refer to a vegetable without clarification.
- Misspelling as 'marow' or 'marro'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a low-frequency word in its anatomical/figurative senses in both UK and US English. However, as a term for a vegetable, it is common in British English.
'Essence' is more abstract and general, referring to intrinsic nature. 'Marrow' is a more vivid, physical metaphor, suggesting something vital and central that sustains the whole, often with a literary tone.
No, 'marrow' is exclusively a noun in modern standard English. The related verb is 'marrow' is obsolete; you might use 'extract the marrow' or 'get to the marrow of' instead.
It is the soft, jelly-like tissue inside your bones. Its most important job is to make new blood cells: red cells (which carry oxygen), white cells (which fight infection), and platelets (which help blood to clot).
Marrow is usually primarily literary, formal, or technical/medical; the vegetable sense is informal (uk-specific). in register.
Marrow: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmærəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmæroʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “chilled to the marrow”
- “to the marrow (of one's bones)”
- “the marrow of the matter”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a narrow arrow hitting the MARROW (the core) of a bone. 'Mar' (sea in Spanish) + 'row' – think of the vital 'core' of the sea, or a row of marrow vegetables.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE/ESSENCE IS THE CORE OF A BONE ('the marrow of the issue'), COLD IS A PENETRATING SUBSTANCE ('chilled to the marrow').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would an American English speaker MOST LIKELY use the word 'marrow'?