# marble

/ˈmɑɹbəɫ/ (US) · /mˈɑːbəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/marble
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the stone

noun · CEFR B1

a hard, smooth stone that is often white with coloured lines, used for floors and statues.

For teachers: a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, typically limestone or dolomite, valued for its aesthetic qualities in architecture.

- The floor of the hotel lobby was made of polished white marble.
- The architect specified Carrara marble for the grand staircase to ensure the building maintained a sense of classical elegance.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the material in general.

### 2. the toy

noun · CEFR B1

a small, hard ball made of glass or stone that children use to play games.

For teachers: a small spherical toy made from glass, clay, or agate, used in various traditional children's games.

- The boy kept his collection of colourful marbles in a small cloth bag.
- During the break, the students gathered in the courtyard to play a competitive game of marbles, drawing a circle in the dirt.

Usage: Countable.

### 3. sculptures

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

statues or works of art made from marble stone.

For teachers: sculptures or architectural elements fashioned from marble, often used collectively.

- The museum is famous for its collection of ancient Greek marbles.
- Scholars continue to debate the ethical implications of displaying the Parthenon marbles far from their original site in Athens.

Usage: Often used in the plural to refer to a specific collection of ancient works.

### 4. to create a pattern

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to give something a pattern of wavy lines that looks like marble stone.

For teachers: to stain or vein a surface, such as paper or the edges of a book, in imitation of the patterns of marble.

- The artist showed us how to marble paper using special oil paints and water.
- The bookbinder carefully marbled the endpapers of the limited edition volume to match the ornate leather cover.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice or as a participle (marbled).

### 5. made of marble

adjective · CEFR B2

made of marble stone, or looking like it.

For teachers: composed of marble or having a texture and appearance resembling the stone.

- She rested her hand on the cold marble tabletop.
- The hall was lined with marble columns that reached up to the painted ceiling.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun.

## Examples

- The kitchen floor is made of white marble.
- Archaeologists discovered several statues carved from local marble during the excavation of the ancient temple.
- The preservation of the frieze is remarkable, as the high-quality marble has resisted the corrosive effects of the elements better than the softer limestone used in the surrounding structures.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.