marrow

¹ American  

[mar-oh] / ˈmær oʊ /

noun

1. Anatomy. a soft, fatty, vascular tissue in the interior cavities of bones that is a major site of blood cell production.

2. the inmost or essential part.

   to pierce to the marrow of a problem.

3. strength or vitality.

   Fear took the marrow out of him.

4. rich and nutritious food.

5. Chiefly British. vegetable marrow.

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marrow ² American  

[mar-oh, mar-uh] / ˈmær oʊ, ˈmær ə /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. a partner; fellow worker.

2. a spouse; helpmate.

3. a companion; close friend.

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marrow ¹ British  

/ ˈmærəʊ, -rə /

noun

1. dialect a companion, esp a workmate

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marrow ² British  

/ ˈmærəʊ /

noun

1. the fatty network of connective tissue that fills the cavities of bones

2. the vital part; essence

3. vitality

4. rich food

5. short for vegetable marrow

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marrow Scientific  

/ măr′ō /

1. See bone marrow

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marrow Cultural  

1. The soft, specialized connective tissue that fills the cavities of bones. One kind of bone marrow is responsible for manufacturing red blood cells in the body.

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Other Word Forms

• marrowish
  adjective
• marrowless
  adjective
• marrowy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of marrow¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English marw(e), marwa, Old English mearg, merg; cognate with Dutch merg, German Mark, Old Norse mergr

Origin of marrow²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English marwe, maro(we), “fellow worker, partner,” perhaps from Old Norse margr “many; friendly”

Explanation

The soft stuff inside of a bone is called marrow. Many people cook with marrow from beef bones and consider it a delicacy. Dogs love to gnaw on bones, trying to get at the marrow inside, and many soups and other recipes call for marrow, which is tender and fatty. Human beings, of course, have marrow inside their bones as well, and certain diseases can be treated by marrow transplants. From this biological kind of marrow comes a figurative meaning of marrow — the essence of something. You might say, "This sentence represents the marrow of the novel."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

marrow

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood that begins in the bone marrow, which varies based on the type of blood cell affected and the stage of the disease.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

The family said that he became a bone marrow donor at the age of four to help his brother William, who later died from leukaemia.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Similar effects were observed in models of graft-versus-host disease, a serious complication that can occur after bone marrow transplantation.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

With a match, regardless of gender, donor marrow was far more likely to be accepted by the body—and in turn, not attack the body—then function normally, making transplantation between brothers and sisters possible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

My brother was really sick, so sick that they had to stick a needle in him to take out the marrow from his bones.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick