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 of marble

Noun

• sanity
• mind

Verb

• sprinkle
• dot
• stain
• pepper
• dye
• spot
• fleck

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

Each suite boasts a gourmet kitchen, Italian marble bathrooms, and private balconies. — Megan Dubois, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

The bathrooms are equally royal, complete with Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries, a soaking tub with a window out to the guest room (and shutters to close for privacy), and dual marble vanities. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026

Verb

The meat on the bones varies in thickness and, thanks to marbling and tough connective tissue, short ribs are ideal for slow cooking. — Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Just offshore from Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island, the Caribbean Sea takes on a mesmerizing, almost marbled quality. — Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for marble

• barbel

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