marrow

marrow — noun

1. the soft, fat-filled tissue found inside the hollow spaces of bones that produce

1.nounB2
Definition

the soft, fat-filled tissue found inside the hollow spaces of bones that produces new blood cells for the body

Example

The doctor took a small marrow sample from Felipe's hip bone to check for illness.

take a sample of marrow from [body part]

A bone marrow transplant gave Harper a second chance at life after the leukemia diagnosis.

collocation: bone marrow transplant

Common collocations
  • bone marrow
  • bone marrow transplant
  • marrow sample
  • marrow donation
  • rich marrow
Synonyms
  • bone substance

    far less common; strictly anatomical term

  • medulla

    technical medical term for the inner part of an organ, including bone marrow

Grammar Patterns

the marrow in [body part]

marrow + verb (is/makes/produces)

bone marrow + noun (transplant/donation/sample)

Usage Note

Uncountable — never used as 'marrows' in this sense. Common in medical compounds such as 'bone marrow transplant' and 'bone marrow donation'.

Common Mistakes

He donated his bone marrows to save a life.
He donated his bone marrow to save a life.
Marrow is uncountable and has no plural form.

2. an elongated summer squash with pale inner flesh and numerous seeds, usually coo

2.nounB1
Definition

an elongated summer squash with pale inner flesh and numerous seeds, usually cooked before eating because the outer rind becomes tough when fully grown

Example

Kian sliced the marrow and roasted it with garlic and herbs for a side dish.

roasted marrow as side dish

Gabriel harvested two large marrows from the garden and baked them with tomatoes and cheese.

Common collocations
  • stuffed marrow
  • baked marrow
  • marrow plant
  • marrow seeds
  • harvest marrows
Synonyms
  • courgette

    immature, smaller version of the same squash; eaten raw or lightly cooked

  • zucchini

    American English term for courgette

  • summer squash

    the broader category that includes marrows, courgettes, and yellow squash

Grammar Patterns

a marrow / marrows (plural)

marrow as food (usually uncountable)

stuffed / baked / roasted marrow

Usage Note

A British term. The same plant harvested young is called a 'courgette' (UK) or 'zucchini' (US). In Taiwan, large marrows are uncommon; 大櫛瓜 is the closest equivalent.

Common Mistakes

I ate a raw marrow in my salad.
I ate a raw courgette in my salad.
Young courgettes can be eaten raw; mature marrows are almost always cooked.

3. the most important, central, or essential part of something — for example, the m

3.nounC1
Definition

the most important, central, or essential part of something — for example, the marrow of a story, an argument, or a person's beliefs

Example

Hugo's speech captured the very marrow of the community's fears about the new policy.

the very marrow of [abstract noun]

To understand the marrow of Indra's argument, you have to look past the emotional language.

the marrow of [someone's] argument

Common collocations
  • the marrow of the argument
  • the marrow of the matter
  • the very marrow of
  • squeeze the marrow out of
Synonyms
  • core

    everyday word for the central part; neutral in register

  • essence

    the fundamental nature that defines something; slightly formal

  • heart

    more emotional and warm; suggests the passionate centre

  • pith

    rarer and more literary; suggests concentrated substance

Antonyms
  • surface

    the outer or less important part of something

Grammar Patterns

the marrow of + noun phrase

the very marrow of [abstract noun]

Usage Note

Almost always found in the fixed structure 'the marrow of + noun'. Literary or formal register; in everyday speech, 'core', 'heart', or 'essence' is more natural.

Common Mistakes

The marrow of the problem is money.
The core of the problem is money.
'Marrow' in this sense is too formal or literary for everyday contexts; 'core' is the natural choice.

Word family

  • bone marrow
    nounB2
  • marrowbone
    nounC1
  • vegetable marrow
    nounB1
  • marrowless
    adjectiveC2
  • marrowy
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

Core, essence, heart, and pith all refer to the central or most important part of something, but with different tones. Core is the most neutral and widely used — it applies to ideas, problems, groups, or physical objects ('the core of the issue'). Essence emphasises the fundamental nature that makes something what it is ('the essence of democracy'), carrying a slightly philosophical feel. Heart suggests the emotional or passionate centre ('the heart of the matter'), with warmth and vitality. Pith is the rarest and most literary; it originally meant the spongy tissue in plant stems, so figuratively it implies concentrated substance ('the pith of the argument'). For everyday speech, heart and core are the most natural choices; essence suits formal or reflective writing; pith belongs to literary or rhetorical style.

core ↗essence ↗heart ↗pith

Common collocations

Nouns

  • marrow transplant
  • marrow donation

Phrases

  • to the marrow
  • chilled to the marrow

Prepositions

  • marrow of

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Marrow comes from Old English 'mearg', meaning the soft tissue inside bones. It traces back through Proto-Germanic 'mazgą' to a Proto-Indo-European root 'mozgo-' that also produced Sanskrit 'majján' (marrow), Avestan 'mazga' (marrow), and Old Church Slavonic 'mozgъ' (brain). The vegetable sense appeared in the 19th century, drawing an analogy between the soft inner substance of a bone and the edible flesh of the squash. The figurative meaning — the essential or innermost part of something — developed in the 16th century.