marmoreal
adjective
mar·mo·re·al
mär-ˈmȯr-ē-əl 
variants
or less commonly marmorean
: of, relating to, or suggestive of marble or a marble statue especially in coldness or aloofness
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When Should You Use marmoreal?
Most marble-related words in English were chiseled from the Latin noun marmor, meaning "marble." Marmor gave our language the word marble itself in the 12th century. It is also the parent of marmoreal, which has been used in English since the mid-1600s. Marbleize, another marmor descendant, came later, making its print debut around 1854. The obscure adjective marmorate, meaning "veined like marble," dates to the 16th century and hasn't seen much use since.
Examples of marmoreal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And despite the sheen of sweat on her face, Rybakina’s smooth, cool demeanor gave her a marmoreal look.
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Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
The marmoreal cool of Debbie Harry and the band's razor-sharp duds plastered across TV screens helped define the nascent new wave genre, which would set the tone for many a mallrat's wardrobe.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2020
Then there’s the marmoreal serenity of the shoulder lines.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2018
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Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
The marmoreal cool of Debbie Harry and the band's razor-sharp duds plastered across TV screens helped define the nascent new wave genre, which would set the tone for many a mallrat's wardrobe.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2020
Then there’s the marmoreal serenity of the shoulder lines.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Marmoreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marmoreal. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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