Marmoreal

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Merriam Webster Word of the Day : February 12, 2016

marmoreal

adjective mahr-MOR-ee-ul

 Definition

: of, relating to, or suggestive of marble or a marble statue especially in coldness or aloofness

Examples

“‘Thank you for your submission,’ the note begins with marmoreal courtesy. It ends with a wish for success in placing your manuscript with another house.” — William Germano, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 20 Feb. 2011

“Marble … has always been synonymous with artistry and luxury. Had it not been glowing marble would Michelangelo’s David and the Pieta have looked the same? Not to speak of our Taj Mahal, whose marmoreal splendour has moved many poets to wax eloquent about its beauty.” — Soumitra Das, The Telegraph (India), 1 June 2014



Did You Know?

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.

4 thoughts on “Marmoreal

  1. Splendid word….Not heard/read this in years. Vaguely recall using it once as a ‘tart’ response to someone in a discussion. Very Good! Hugs! ❤

      1. Heard my English Master at High School refer to a colleague once using the word…asked what it meant he said…’cold like marble’. I remember that….;)

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