marmoreal

marmoreal

English

Etymology

From Latin marmoreus, from marmor (“marble”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑːˈmɔːɹɪəl/

Adjective

marmoreal (comparative more marmoreal, superlative most marmoreal)

1. Resembling marble or a marble statue.
   • 1943, H. P. Lovecraft, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

     For in no wise could he leave that lofty spot, or descend the wide marmoreal flights.

   • 1949, Italo Calvino, Difficult Loves

     If, as I said, his fingertips arrived at this, perhaps her flesh, marmoreal and lazy, was hardly aware that these were, in fact, fingertips, and not for example, nails or knuckles.

   • 1950, Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast

     Irma had collapsed into a chair, and her long marmoreal face was buried in her hands.

   • 1985, Anthony Burgess, Kingdom of the Wicked

     The gods, of course, were a quite farcical invention, though necessary for the as it were marmoreal exaltation of the civic virtues.

Synonyms

• (resembling marble): marmoraceous (obsolete)

Translations

resembling marble

French: marmoréen (fr)

Irish: marmarach