maroon

¹

[ muh-roon ]

adjective

1. dark brownish-red.
2. Chiefly British.
   1. a loudly exploding firework consisting of a cardboard container filled with gunpowder.
   2. a similar firework used as a danger or warning signal, as by railway brakemen.

maroon

²

[ muh-roon ]

verb (used with object)

1. to put ashore and abandon on a desolate island or coast by way of punishment or the like, as was done by buccaneers.
2. to place in an isolated and often dangerous position:

   The rising floodwaters marooned us on top of the house.

3. to abandon and leave without aid or resources:

   Having lost all his money, he was marooned in the strange city.

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) any of a group of Black people, descended from fugitive slaves of the 17th and 18th centuries, living in the West Indies and Guiana, especially in mountainous areas.
2. a person who is marooned:

   Robinson Crusoe lived for years as a maroon.

maroon

¹

/ məˈruːn /

noun

1. 1. a dark red to purplish-red colour
   2. ( as adjective )

      a maroon carpet

2. an exploding firework, esp one used as a warning signal

maroon

²

/ məˈruːn /

verb

1. to leave ashore and abandon, esp on an island
2. to isolate without resources

noun

1. a descendant of a group of runaway slaves living in the remoter areas of the Caribbean or Guyana
2. informal.
   a person who has been marooned, esp on an island

Word History and Origins

Origin of maroon¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from French marron literally, “chestnut (nut and color), firecracker,” Middle French, from Italian marrone “chestnut, brown”; further origin unknown

Origin of maroon²

First recorded in 1660–70; from French mar(r)on, apparently from Colonial Spanish cimarrón “wild”; first used in reference to domestic animals that escaped into the woods, later to people who escaped slavery; cimarron

Word History and Origins

Origin of maroon¹

C18: from French, literally: chestnut, marron ¹

Origin of maroon²

C17 (applied to fugitive slaves): from American Spanish cimarrón wild, literally: dwelling on peaks, from Spanish cima summit

Example Sentences

Realizing they were effectively marooned, the sergeants ordered the riot squad off the bus.

From ProPublica

Hundreds of cars were marooned and thousands of cars were abandoned.

From Washington Post

Peering over the edge you can find a bounty of fish marooned in a thick, tomato-based broth.

From Fortune

Known primarily for his offensive rebounding and defense, Thompson was marooned in Cleveland on bad teams in recent years and was due for a change of scenery, especially after the Cavaliers traded for Andre Drummond at last year’s trade deadline.

From Washington Post

Masked stragglers stood marooned at different bus and taxi stops, open in their despair.

From MIT Technology Review

Houses sit together at their tables in dining halls under maroon banners emblazoned with their names.

From The Daily Beast

In his opulent maroon suit, Dickens flaunts his fame and fortune with so little subtlety he makes Kanye West appear modest.

From The Daily Beast

We all remember when Levine shot to fame with Maroon 5's Songs About Jane.

From The Daily Beast

It stayed at the top for three days, out-pacing tracks by Maroon 5, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent.

From The Daily Beast

Halle Berry won the same award in 2002 for Monster's Ball when she dazzled in a semi-sheer, maroon Elie Saab gown.

From The Daily Beast

A low slung maroon roadster came down the street and nosed into the mouth of the tarvia drive at Joseph's gate.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a dark maroon-colored leaf, and contains a large proportion of the nicotine oil.

From Project Gutenberg

More than one season have we spent in the house of old Abu Maroon, the village carpenter.

From Project Gutenberg

The seat covers were made of plastic in a maroon and blue plaid pattern.

From Project Gutenberg

A straw hat with a particularly narrow brim was adorned with a ribbon of alternating bars of maroon and grey.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• isolate
• strand