What does marrowbone mean?
A marrowbone is a bone that contains marrow, usually referring to a substantial animal bone such as a shin bone. In contemporary English, the term is relatively uncommon and often appears in cooking contexts, where marrowbones are simmered to make stock, broth, or a richly flavoured sauce. The expression can also have a more general literary or anatomical use for any bone containing the soft, nutrient-rich tissue known as marrow. Its vocabulary value lies partly in being a transparent compound: “marrow” identifies the material inside, and “bone” identifies the enclosing structure. Although the single-word form can sound old-fashioned, the related phrase “marrow bone” remains familiar. The word should not be confused with the expression “bone marrow,” which refers to the marrow itself rather than to the bone containing it.
nounA bone containing marrow, especially a large bone such as a shin bone. The term is relatively uncommon in modern general usage.
- A bone containing marrow, especially a large animal bone used for making stock or broth.
"She simmered the marrowbone with vegetables to make a rich stock."
"The soup simmered for hours around a marrowbone and fresh herbs."
"He split the marrowbone open to reach the soft centre."
The plural is standard and is especially common when referring to bones used in cooking.
"She roasted the marrowbones until they were deeply browned."
A marrowbone is both a familiar kitchen ingredient and a vivid example of a word whose meaning is built transparently from its parts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does marrowbone come from?
“Marrowbone” is a compound formed from “marrow” and “bone.” “Marrow” descends from Old English mærg, while “bone” descends from Old English bān; the compound preserves the literal sense of a bone that contains marrow. Its wording reflects the same broad Indo-European vocabulary of marrow and bone that appears in cognates such as Latin medulla, the source of “medullary.”
Related word forms
How marrowbone is actually used
The word is more often encountered as the two-word phrase “marrow bone” than as the single compound “marrowbone.” It is somewhat literary, archaic, or regional, and is much less usual in everyday speech than “marrow” in its sense of the soft tissue inside bones.