metamorphosed limestone, consisting chiefly of recrystallized calcite or dolomite, capable of taking a high polish, occurring in a wide range of colors and variegations and used in sculpture and architecture.
any variety of this stone: Carrara marble.
an object made of or carved from this stone, especially a sculpture: Renaissance marbles.
a piece of this stone: the fallen marbles of Roman ruins.
(not in technical use) any of various breccias or other stones that take a high polish and show a variegated pattern.
a marbled appearance or pattern; marbling: The woodwork had a greenish marble.
anything resembling marble in hardness, coldness, smoothness, etc.: a brow of marble.
something lacking in warmth or feeling.
a little ball made of stone, baked clay, glass, porcelain, agate, or steel, especially for use in games.
marbles,(used with a singular verb)a game for children in which a marble is propelled by the thumb to hit another marble so as to drive it out of a circle drawn or scratched on the ground.
marbles,Slang. normal rational faculties; sanity; wits; common sense: to have all one's marbles; to lose one's marbles.
adjective
consisting or made of marble.
like marble, as in hardness, coldness, smoothness, etc.
lacking in warmth, compassion, or sympathy: marble heart.
of variegated or mottled color.
verb (used with object),mar·bled,mar·bling.
to color or stain like variegated marble.
to apply a decorative pattern to (paper, the edges of a book, etc.) by transferring oil pigments floating on water.
Origin of marble
1150–1200;Middle Englishmarbel, dissimilated variant of Old Englishmarmel (in marmelstān marble stone) < Latinmarmor < Greekmármaros, akin to marmaírein to sparkle
late 14c., "of marble," from marble (n.). Meaning "mottled like marble" is mid-15c. Marble cake is attested from 1864.
marble
v.
1590s (implied in marbled), "to give (something) the appearance of marble," from marble (n.). Related: Marbling.
marble
n.
type of stone much used in sculpture, monuments, etc., early 14c., by dissimilation from marbra (mid-12c.), from Old French marbre (which itself underwent dissimilation of 2nd -r- to -l- in 14c.; marbre persisted in English into early 15c.), from Latin marmor, from or cognate with Greek marmaros "marble, gleaming stone," of unknown origin, perhaps originally an adjective meaning "sparkling," which would connect it with marmairein "to shine." The Latin word was taken directly into Old English as marma. German Marmor is restored Latin from Old High German marmul. Meaning "little balls of marble used in a children's game" is attested from 1690s.
A metamorphic rock consisting primarily of calcite and dolomite. Marble is formed by the metamorphism of limestone. Although it is usually white to gray in color, it often has irregularly colored marks due to the presence of impurities such as silica and clay. Marble is used especially in sculpture and as a building material.
