Marrowbones

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The central part of large bones containing nutritious tissue, rich in fat and often used in culinary dishes
2. The soft, fatty substance found within the cavities of bones that is essential for creating blood cells and provides various nutrients
3. A term for the inner tissue of bones that contributes to the overall health of bones and is often sought after for its flavor in cooking

Etymology: Marrowbones are a compound of "marrow" and "bone," and the older English sense of "marrow" is what makes the word interesting. Old English "mearg" meant the soft tissue inside bones, and it is related to the same Germanic root that gave us modern German "Mark," which still means marrow. The compound itself is plain and transparent, so there is no hidden story in its formation. The more striking thread is how the word attached itself to food. Marrowbones were a staple of English cooking for centuries, and at one point a "marrowbone" was also a nickname for the knees, playfully likened to the knobbly ends of the long bones. In Shakespeare's day, a "marrowbone" was a common slang term for the kneecap area, and the phrase "to bend the marrowbones" meant to kneel, usually in prayer or submission. Today the word mostly appears in culinary contexts, such as roasted marrowbones on restaurant menus or stocks made from beef bones simmered for hours. The sense of kneeling survives only in older literature and dialect.

Synonyms: bones, skeletons, frameworks, supports, structures