maroon

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

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

Simplified etymology

Maroon has several distinct histories. The name for descendants of escaped enslaved people comes through French marron, “feral,” from Spanish cimarrón, “wild”; from this arose the early 18th-century verb meaning to abandon someone in an isolated place. The reddish-brown colour instead comes from French marron, “chestnut,” while the firework sense refers to the bang of a chestnut bursting in a fire.

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

Actions & Processes

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
- Actions & Processes

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