marble

1 of 2

noun

mar·​ble ˈmär-bəl 

1

a

: limestone that is more or less crystallized by metamorphism, that ranges from granular to compact in texture, that is capable of taking a high polish, and that is used especially in architecture and sculpture

b

: something (such as a piece of sculpture) composed of or made from marble

c

: something suggesting marble (as in hardness, coldness, or smoothness)

a heart of marble

2

a

: a little ball made of a hard substance (such as glass) and used in various games

b

marbles plural in form but singular in construction : any of several games played with these little balls

c

marbles plural : the rewards to be won in competition especially for a championship

—used in the phrase all the marbles

a game being played for all the marbles

3

: marbling

4

marbles plural : elements of common sense

especially : sanity

persons who are born without all their marbles

—Arthur Miller

marble adjective

marble

2 of 2

verb

marbled; marbling ˈmär-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to give a veined or mottled appearance to

marble the edges of a book

Synonyms

Noun

• daylights
• head
• mind
• reason
• saneness
• sanity
• wit(s)

Verb

• blotch
• dapple
• dot
• fleck
• freckle
• mottle
• pepper
• shoot
• speck
• speckle
• splotch
• spot
• sprinkle
• stipple

Examples of marble in a Sentence

Noun

The statue is made of marble.

I love to play with marbles.

Verb

marble the paper with several different dyes to get a striking effect

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Arriving via the gorgeous gardens of Grosvenor Square, my partner and I oohed and aahed at the imposing marble, opulent chandeliers and old-world glamour of the hotel lobby. —Caroline Dolby, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024

In 2020, the cemetery added plexiglass to Anthony and her sister’s gravestones to protect the marble. —Colson Thayer, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Verb

Architect Bo Lee designed a steel-and-glass partition for the foyer, where Frannie and Posie, Abigail Klem Spector’s coton de tulear dogs, sit, and created a black-and-white floor with Statuary and Nero Marquina marbles. —Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 11 Oct. 2024

There’s also the international Beef Marbling Score, which grades marbling on a scale of one to 12. —Wes Siler, Outside Online, 23 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French marbre, from Latin marmor, from Greek marmaros

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1675, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing marble

• marble cake

Kids Definition

marble

1 of 2 noun

mar·​ble ˈmär-bəl 

1

a

: a limestone that takes a high polish and is used in architecture and sculpture

b

: something made from marble

especially : a piece of sculpture

2

a

: a little ball (as of glass) used in various games

b

plural : a children's game played with these little balls

marble adjective

marble

2 of 2 verb

marbled; marbling ˈmär-b(ə-)liŋ 

: to give a streaked, spotted, or blotched appearance to (as by staining)

marble the edges of a book