Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “marble” come from?

Marble comes from Middle English marbre, from Old French marbre, from Latin marmor, from Ancient Greek μάρμαρος, ultimately from the root μαρμαίρω meaning to sparkle or shine.

marble (English): A rock of crystalline limestone; A small ball,...

Definitions

  1. A rock of crystalline limestone; A small ball,...

Ancestry of “marble”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmarble—
2Old Frenchmarbremarble
3Latinmarmora block or piece of marble; pulverized marble,...
4Ancient Greekμάρμαροςcrystalline rock; marble
5Indo-European*mer-—

Words derived from “marble”

  • marbles
  • mib
  • marled
  • marblelike
  • marbly
  • marbleize
  • marbler
  • marblework
  • Marblette
  • marbelize
  • marbleization
  • marblewood
  • marbleness
  • nonmarble
  • marbleless
  • emmarble
  • enmarble
  • marblefish
  • マーブル
  • marbal
  • mabol
  • marbel
Every word from Indo-European *mer- →