Marble

Marble

Noun / Verb / Adjective · /ˈmɑː.bəl/

Definition

(Noun) a hard crystalline metamorphic rock, typically white or variously coloured with veining, used for sculpture and building; a small ball of glass or stone used as a toy; (Verb) to stain or streak with variegated colouring resembling marble; (Adjective) made of or resembling marble. To lose one's marbles — to become confused or irrational.

Origin

From Old French marbre, from Latin marmor, from Greek marmaros (white or glistening stone), from marmairein (to gleam, to shine). Marble is metamorphic limestone — limestone subjected to heat and pressure that recrystallises the calcium carbonate, producing a harder, more uniform stone. The ancient Greeks and Romans used marble extensively in sculpture and architecture, establishing its association with classical civilisation and prestige.