marrow
UK: ˈmærəʊ | US: ˈmæroʊ
n. the soft, fatty tissue inside bones
n. the essential or most vital part of something
n. (archaic) a vegetable, now specifically the mature fruit of certain cucurbits
The word "marrow" traces back to Old English mearg, meaning "soft inner part of bone." It shares Proto-Germanic roots (mazgą) with Dutch merg and German Mark, all referring to the core or pith of bones or plants. Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to signify the "essence" of an idea or object. The spelling evolved from mearg to marrow under Norman influence, but the morpheme structure remains opaque in modern English.
The soup was made with beef bones to extract the rich marrow.
Her speech cut to the marrow of the issue.
In medieval times, marrow was a common ingredient in stews.
Scientists studied the bone marrow to understand blood cell production.
The proverb hints that laughter is the marrow of life.