From Greek 'marmaros' (shining stone), from 'marmarein' (to gleam)—marble was named for its shimmer, not its hardness.
A metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite, prized for sculpture and architecture.
From Old French 'marbre,' from Latin 'marmor,' from Greek 'marmaros' meaning 'shining stone, crystalline rock,' from 'marmarein' (to gleam, to shimmer). The Greeks named marble not for its hardness but for how it catches the light. Key roots: marmarein (Greek: "to gleam, to shimmer").