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
1
A dark brownish-red colour.
"She wore a maroon scarf that matched her school colours."
verb
1
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
1
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- maroons
- Third person singular
- maroons
- Past tense
- marooned
- Comparative
- more maroon
- Superlative
- most maroon
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.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for maroon
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.
