marble
UK[ˈmɑːbl̩]US[ˈmɑːrbl̩]
n
a type of hard stone that is often white with dark lines running through it, used for making statues and buildings
n
a small coloured glass ball used in children's games
n
a children's game played with these small glass balls
Etymology
the word 'marble' entered english from the old french 'marbre'. this, in turn, came from the latin 'marmor', which was borrowed from the greek 'mármaros'. the greek term originally meant any crystalline or shining stone, deriving from the verb 'marmaírein', meaning 'to flash, sparkle, gleam'. this etymological journey, from a descriptive term for a stone's visual property to the specific name for a prized sculpting and architectural material, illustrates how a functional characteristic (its polished shine) became the defining feature of the substance itself.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french, ultimately derived from latin and greek. its form in english is considered a simplex for the purpose of morphological analysis, as its classical roots do not correspond to distinct, separable morphemes within the modern english spelling.
Examples
the floor of the grand hall was made of polished italian marble.
he kept his favourite marbles in a leather pouch.
the children spent the afternoon playing marbles on the sidewalk.