maroon

C2 Topic:Safety & Risk

US /məˈruːn/ UK /məˈruːn/ See IPA manual

Freq #22001

Meanings

1

verb
to leave someone stranded and isolated in a remote place, especially an island

The collapsed bridge marooned the expedition on the plateau.
2

noun
a dark brownish-red or purplish-red color

The club's flag was maroon with a narrow gold border.
3

adj
dark brownish-red or purplish-red in color

She wore a maroon scarf with her gray coat.
4

noun
a firework that explodes loudly and is used as a warning or signal

The rescue crew fired a maroon to summon the lifeboat team.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to leave someone stranded... strand abandon isolate

2 noun · a dark brownish-red or... dark redbrownish-red

3 adj · dark brownish-red or... dark redbrownish-red

4 noun · a firework that explodes... signal rocketwarning firework

Opposites

rescue retrieve

Word family

Forms marooned

Derived forms maroonage

Related forms castaway chestnutsignal rocket

Etymology

The stranded-person noun and verb come through French maron from Spanish cimarrón ("wild, runaway"), first applied to fugitive enslaved people living beyond colonial control; marooning someone left them to live in similar isolation. The color is unrelated, from French marron ("chestnut") for a chestnut-brown shade.

Topics

Safety & Risk

External links

# maroon

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /məˈruːn/
**IPA (UK):** /məˈruːn/
**Frequency rank:** 22001

## Meanings
1. to leave someone stranded and isolated in a remote place, especially an island
2. a dark brownish-red or purplish-red color
3. dark brownish-red or purplish-red in color
4. a firework that explodes loudly and is used as a warning or signal

## Examples
- The collapsed bridge marooned the expedition on the plateau.
- The club's flag was maroon with a narrow gold border.
- She wore a maroon scarf with her gray coat.
- The rescue crew fired a maroon to summon the lifeboat team.

## Synonyms
- strand
- abandon
- isolate
- dark red
- brownish-red

## Antonyms
- rescue
- retrieve

## Derived Forms
- maroonage

## Related Forms
- castaway
- chestnut
- signal rocket

## Etymology
The stranded-person noun and verb come through French maron from Spanish cimarrón ("wild, runaway"), first applied to fugitive enslaved people living beyond colonial control; marooning someone left them to live in similar isolation. The color is unrelated, from French marron ("chestnut") for a chestnut-brown shade.

## Topics
- Safety & Risk

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