adj Uncommon

maroon

muh-ROON

Maroon (adj) means a dark brownish-red colour. Example: “She wore a maroon scarf that matched her school colours.”

adj

A dark brownish-red colour.

"She wore a maroon scarf that matched her school colours."

verb

To strand someone in a remote or isolated place, leaving them unable to get away.

"The sailors were marooned on a deserted island after the shipwreck."

"A flat tyre left them marooned on the motorway for hours."

noun

Historically, an enslaved person who escaped and formed independent communities, especially in the Caribbean and the Americas, or their descendants.

"Maroon communities in Jamaica successfully resisted colonial forces for generations."

How to use maroon

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the colour (dark brownish-red), the verb meaning to strand someone somewhere, or a historical term for escaped slaves and their descendants who formed free communities.

Common pairings

maroon someone on an island a maroon jumper Maroon communities

Word forms

more maroon comparative, marooned past tense, maroons plural, maroons plural, maroons plural, maroons plural, Maroons plural, Maroons plural, maroons singular, most maroon superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “maroon” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She wore a _____ scarf that matched her school colours.

Etymology

From French "marron" ("feral, runaway"), itself from Spanish "cimarrón" meaning wild or fugitive.

Origin: French

Synonyms

View more →

strand

Related words

hair beach chain string wire shore thread fiber

Rhymes for maroon

noon moon soon hoon toon poon foon goon loon boon woon doon

See all rhymes for maroon →

Frequently asked questions

What does “maroon” mean?

The word “maroon” means a dark brownish-red colour. In plain terms, either the colour (dark brownish-red), the verb meaning to strand someone somewhere, or a historical term for escaped slaves and their descendants who formed free communities.

How do you pronounce “maroon”?

“Maroon” is pronounced muh-ROON (/məˈɹuːn/ in IPA).

How do you use “maroon” in a sentence?

Here is “maroon” used in a sentence: “She wore a maroon scarf that matched her school colours.”

What part of speech is “maroon”?

Depending on how it is used, “maroon” can be an adjective, a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “maroon” come from?

The word “maroon” comes from French. From French "marron" ("feral, runaway"), itself from Spanish "cimarrón" meaning wild or fugitive.

Is “maroon” a common word?

“Maroon” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “maroon” have?

“Maroon” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dark brownish-red colour.

People also searched

hair beach chain string wire shore thread fiber