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marrowbone

marrowbone

1 7.7
A piece of animal bone that contains soft marrow and is used to flavor soups
  • noun
  • /ˈmɛroʊboʊn/
: hueso de tuétano
  • She simmered a marrowbone for hours to extract the tender, delicious marrow inside.

Examples

  • For a rich soup, use a marrowbone to provide depth and a savory taste.

  • But did Sam get down on his marrowbones, and thank the good Lord for that?

  • Down on your marrowbones and pray.

  • Look, I don't know how you did that running thing, like you've had too much marrowbone jelly or something but I guess it could come in useful.

  • The chef added a marrowbone to the pot to enhance the flavor of the stew.

Synonyms

shin bone
vsmarrowbone
  • UK
4.2

A cut of meat from the lower leg often used for stews

contains soft edible center used mainly to flavor soups and stews

Surface Forms

marrowbone singular
marrowbones plural

Morphology

marrowbone = marrow + bone (transparent) = marrow + bone

Literal compound of 'marrow' + 'bone' meaning a bone containing edible marrow, directly inferable from its parts.

Etymology

Marrowbone is a simple compound of marrow ('soft, fatty centre inside a bone') and bone, so it literally means a bone you break open for its tasty 'marrow' — that's why a marrowbone is used to give soups and stews a rich flavor.