marbling

American  

[mahr-bling] / ˈmɑr blɪŋ /

noun

1. the act, process, or art of coloring or staining in imitation of variegated marble.

2. an appearance like that of variegated marble.

3. the intermixture of fat with lean in a cut of meat, which contributes to flavor and tenderness.

4. Bookbinding. marblelike decoration on the paper edges, lining, or binding boards of a book.

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marbling British  

/ ˈmɑːblɪŋ /

noun

1. a mottled effect or pattern resembling marble

2. such an effect obtained by transferring floating colours from a bath of gum solution

3. the streaks of fat in lean meat

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Etymology

Origin of marbling

First recorded in 1680–90; marble + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Turkey's home strip features a marbled pattern, inspired by the Turkish paper marbling art of Ebru.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

All of these pieces have dramatic warps, waves, marbling and imperfections that make them unique and add to their beauty and history.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

In 2021, the Nervous System duo struck up a collaboration with Amanda Ghassaei, an artist and engineer who had built an interactive physics-based paper marbling simulator powered by fluid dynamics and mathematics.

From New York Times • Dec. 9, 2022

Others included marbling using carrageen moss or jewels or gold to signify their intended owners’ wealth and status.

From Washington Post • Dec. 3, 2022

“Now we will add the cocoa to the rest of the batter and swirl it all around. That’s the marbling part. Maybe you want to do that?”

From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo