Marrow
/ˈmær.oʊ/noun
The soft, fatty tissue inside bones; also, the essential or innermost part of something.
Did you know?In older English, marrow was often used metaphorically for the deepest, most vital part of a thing, which is why phrases like “the marrow of the matter” feel so primal.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mer-
“to rub, grind, crush”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*mangrō / *marną
“bone marrow”
Old English
Eng
mearh
“marrow, the soft substance inside bones”
Middle English
Eng
marwe
“marrow”
Modern English
English
marrow
“the fatty tissue inside bones; the essential inner part”