marker
Americannoun
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markers
plural
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a person or thing that marks.
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something used as a mark or indication, as a bookmark or tombstone.
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a person who records the scores, points, etc., as in a game or contest.
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a counter used in card playing.
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Digital Technology. a navigation pointer or other indicator in a graphical user interface: Place markers at the beginning and end of your selection to trim your video in edit mode.
Dragging the marker up the sound bar will increase the volume.
Place markers at the beginning and end of your selection to trim your video in edit mode.
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Genetics. genetic marker.
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Psychology. an object, as a book or topcoat left at a library table, used to establish territorial possession in a public place.
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Linguistics.
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an element of a construction, as a coordinating conjunction, that is not a part of either immediate constituent.
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an element that indicates the grammatical class or function of a construction.
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a small radio beacon, automatically operated, used for local navigation of vessels.
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Also called marker pen, marking pen. a pen designed for making bold, colorful, or indelible marks, as in making signs or identifying objects.
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Slang.
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a debt, especially a gambling debt.
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a written or signed promise to pay a debt, especially a gambling debt; a promissory note or IOU.
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Also called marker crude. Commerce. a grade of oil on which prices of other crude oils are based.
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Citizens Band Radio Slang. one's location while driving on a highway, as determined by the nearest milepost.
noun
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something used for distinguishing or marking
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( as modifier )
a marker buoy
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a person or thing that marks
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a person or object that keeps or shows scores in a game
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a trait, condition, gene, or substance that indicates the presence of, or a probable increased predisposition to, a medical or psychological disorder See biological marker genetic marker medical marker
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of marker
Explanation
A marker is an ink-filled pen with a wide tip. Kids often use washable markers, while adults are usually trusted with the permanent type. Permanent markers contain ink that can't be washed away, and they're useful for labeling and marking things like cardboard boxes and file folders. Another kind of marker is a highlighter, which you can use to make important words or phrases in a book stand out with a line of translucent neon ink. A different meaning of marker is "something that marks a route or specific place." Markers along a hiking trail help keep you from getting lost.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
My grip strength, which is viewed as a marker of overall health, also didn’t correlate, and the clinician started a thoughtful conversation: Was I fatigued?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
“And it can be a marker of just general conditioning that is associated with a lot of diseases.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
In the comment section of the post, the Orange County Bomb Squad said the recent storms could have caused the marker to surface, because “we’ve had a couple wash up in recent weeks.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
Hazel dormice are a European Protected Species and are considered vulnerable to extinction, but their presence is a marker of a healthy, well-connected landscape.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
She grabbed the marker to fix Max’s name without permission; later that morning she picked up the classroom bunny with such enthusiasm that she had to be reminded, “Gentle, gentle...”
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Although this often got England's winger one-against-one, teams could match England man for man in the wide areas, especially as they fatigued and off-ball runs that rid them of their markers became less common.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
In some cases, authorities have taken DNA samples, then buried the bodies with markers in the ground, should families claim them.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Marine markers can burn up to 3,000 degrees and are extremely toxic, officials added.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
Researchers also did not measure inflammatory markers, so they could not investigate the biological mechanisms that might explain the relationship between vitamin D and pain.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Big signs made with colored markers and printer paper taped together.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
