bone marrow

noun

: a soft highly vascular modified connective tissue that occupies the cavities of most bones and occurs in two forms:
a
: one that is yellowish, consists chiefly of fat cells, and is found especially in the cavities of long bones
b
: one that is reddish, is the chief site of blood cell formation, and occurs in the normal adult in cancellous tissue especially of certain flat bones

called also red marrow

Examples of bone marrow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Helping others has been linked to: Keeping Iron in Check Adults usually have about 3 to 4 grams (g) of iron in the body, mostly in red blood cells but also in bone marrow. —Rachel Swalin, Health, 7 Apr. 2024 That includes a 9-year-old girl who was brought out of Gaza to donate bone marrow to her sick brother. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 26 Mar. 2024 For example, research on workers in the petroleum industry has shown that benzene exposure can increase the risk of leukemia (a cancer of the body’s blood-forming tissues) and multiple myeloma (a condition in which cancerous plasma cells infiltrate bone marrow), per the WHO guidelines. —Jessica Chia, SELF, 12 Mar. 2024 He was first diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a malfunction of cells in the bone marrow, which transformed into secondary myeloid leukemia, for which treatment options are limited. —Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 Related: The Alabama IVF ruling uses faux scientific language to justify a religious position Fanconi anemia causes bone marrow failure, organ defects, and cancer susceptibility. —Allen Goldberg, STAT, 27 Feb. 2024 Highlights from the small plates include roasted bone marrow with garlic confit; shellfish chowder and yuzu kosho cured king salmon. —Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Archaeological evidence suggests that these trade butchers each had highly specific roles, some dealt solely in bone marrow, others in hooves. —Olivia Potts, Longreads, 15 Feb. 2024 At the end of another screening, Hannah Wyatt and Sean Bentley prepared to take their tickets to Minetta Tavern to dine on roasted bone marrow and the black label burger. —Alex Vadukul, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bone marrow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bone marrow was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near bone marrow

Bonellia

bone marrow

bonemeal

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Bone marrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bone%20marrow. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

bone marrow

noun
: a soft tissue rich in blood vessels that fills the cavities of most bones and occurs in two forms:
a
: one that is yellowish and fatty and is found especially in long bones (as the femur)
b
: one that is reddish, is the main place where blood cells are formed, and in adults is limited especially to certain flat or short bones (as the ribs)

Medical Definition

bone marrow

noun
: a soft highly vascular modified connective tissue that occupies the cavities and cancellous part of most bones and occurs in two forms:
a
: a whitish or yellowish bone marrow that consists chiefly of fat cells and is found especially in the cavities of the long bones

called also yellow marrow

b
: a reddish bone marrow that contains little fat, is the chief site of red blood cell and blood granulocyte formation, and occurs in the normal adult in cancellous tissue especially of certain flat bones

called also red marrow

More from Merriam-Webster on bone marrow

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bone marrow

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