marker

noun

mark·​er ˈmär-kər 

1

: one that marks

2

: something used for marking: such as

a

: a type of felt tip pen that makes wide lines

drew a tree with green and brown markers

used a permanent marker to label the boxes

b

: any of various sewing devices for making or indicating guidelines

a pin marker for hemlines

3

: score sense 7

specifically : run

4

: promissory note, iou

5

: something that serves to identify, predict, or characterize: such as

a

: biomarker

b

: genetic marker

Synonyms of marker

• label

Examples of marker in a Sentence

A person's accent can be a marker of social class.

the markers on the rock and mineral specimens were old and faded

Recent Examples on the Web

The elements of the Pulitzer commission (three steel elevation markers sunk into the ground, their top edges, like those of Shift, parallel to the horizon) cannot be seen together from a single vantage. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Yet, this step is a significant marker for Morocco and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. — Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026

No gravestones, grave markers or other identifying materials had been recovered. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Students, educators, social media creators, and industry advocates described a culture that continues to treat college as the default marker of success, even as employers seek more technicians, mechanics, builders, and other skilled workers. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing marker

• genetic marker

Rhymes for marker

• barker
• darker
• starker
• biomarker

Kids Definition

marker

noun

mark·​er ˈmär-kər 

1

: one that marks

2

: something used for marking

Medical Definition

marker

noun

mark·​er ˈmär-kər 

: something that serves to identify, predict, or characterize

a surface marker on a cell that acts as an antigen

: as

a

: biomarker

The recent discovery of a serological marker for the hepatitis C virus has greatly improved diagnostic accuracy for this form of hepatitis.

—Gary P. Wormser, letter in The Journal of the American Medical Association

b

: genetic marker

The idea in genetic linkage analysis is to see if any particular marker, which serves as a signpost for a specific region of a chromosome, is consistently inherited along with the disease …

—Leslie Roberts, Science

called also marker gene