Definition

1. Noun:
   • The soft, fatty, vascular tissue that fills the cavities of most bones: Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. It is a primary site for the production of new blood cells (hematopoiesis).
   • The essence or most vital part of something (figurative, less common): In a figurative sense, it can refer to the inmost or essential part.

Usage Examples

• Noun (literal, biological):

  • The doctor performed a bone marrow biopsy to check for disease.
  • Stem cells from bone marrow can be used in transplants.
  • Red bone marrow is responsible for producing blood cells.

• Noun (figurative):

  • Her stories get to the bone marrow of human experience. (This usage is relatively rare and literary.)

Advanced Usage

• "To the bone marrow": An intensifying phrase meaning thoroughly or to the core.
  • The winter chill penetrated him to the bone marrow.

Variants and Related Words

• Marrow (noun): A common synonym for bone marrow, especially in medical and culinary contexts (e.g., , ).
• Myeloid (adjective): Relating to or derived from bone marrow (e.g., ).
• Hematopoietic (adjective): Concerned with the formation of blood cells, a primary function of bone marrow.

Synonyms

• Marrow (the most direct synonym)
• Medulla (technical/biological term, especially )

Related Phrases

• Bone marrow transplant: A medical procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells.
• Bone marrow biopsy/aspiration: Medical procedures to extract a sample of bone marrow for examination.

Noun

1. very tender and very nutritious tissue from marrowbones
2. the fatty network of connective tissue that fills the cavities of bones