marmite

American  

[mahr-mahyt, mahr-meet] / ˈmɑr maɪt, mɑrˈmit /

noun

1. a metal or earthenware cooking pot with a cover, usually large and often having legs.

---

marmite ¹ British  

/ ˈmɑːmaɪt /

noun

1. a large cooking pot

2. soup cooked in such a pot

3. an individual covered casserole for serving soup

4. military a container used to bring food to troops in the field

---

Marmite ² British  

/ ˈmɑːmaɪt /

noun

1. a yeast and vegetable extract used as a spread, flavouring, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of marmite

1795–1805; < French, Middle French, apparently equivalent to mar ( m )-, base of marmotter to mutter, murmur ( see marmot) + mite expressive word for a cat; probably originally a jocular or nursery word, a deep, covered pot being thought of as secretive and hence catlike in comparison to an open pan; compare Old French marmite hypocritical

Example Sentences

Stir in the butter and marmite, adding a little of the pasta water to loosen if need be.

From Salon • Sep. 26, 2023

“Boris Johnson was a marmite politician” said David Simmonds, a Conservative lawmaker in the neighboring area of Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, referring to a salty, yeasty paste that Britons tend to either love or hate.

From New York Times • Jul. 18, 2023

A number of popular items, including marmite and cream cheese, have faced scarcities amid supply chain disruptions wrought by the coronavirus pandemic and extreme weather.

From Washington Post • Jan. 8, 2022

"A bit of a marmite," is how Harrington described Poulter, using a British term for a person who people either love or hate.

From Fox News • Sep. 22, 2021

Some of the vegetable extracts, such as Japanese soy and English marmite, are so similar in appearance and taste to the meat extracts as to make it quite difficult to detect any difference.

From Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume 3: Soup; Meat; Poultry and Game; Fish and Shell Fish by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences