English

Proper noun

Marmite

1. (Australia, Britain, New Zealand) A sticky, dark brown, strongly flavoured spread based on a yeast extract (a by-product of beer brewing), eaten on toast, in sandwiches, etc.

Usage notes

• May be a trademark.

Noun

Marmite ‎(plural Marmites)

1. Something which people either love or hate
   • 2000 May 30, Mike Page, “Re: Milk bar [WAS: Re: Great googly-moogly]”, in alt.usage.english, Usenet:

     A pink gin is prepared by swirling a few drops of bitters round the glass and throwing any excess away. It's the Marmite of the drinking world.

   • 2001 March 6, Mark Blunden, “Re:Another Recipe Request”, in alt.babylon5.uk, Usenet:

     Ah, anchovies - the marmite of the marine world. Personally, I love them, at least on pizzas.

   • 2008, Becky Thorn, “Pies”, in School Dinners: Recipes and Reminiscences of the Good, the Bad and the Spotted Dick, Anova Books, ISBN 9781906032449, page 24:

     I have a feeling that this pie is the Marmite of the school pie world. You either loved it or you hated it.

   • 2008, Tim Bartlett, Simon Collis and Tony Jones, “Design and Construction”, in Complete Powerboating Manual, New Holland Publishers, ISBN 9781845372965, page 164:

     Catamarans are the Marmite of powerboating – you either love them or you hate them.

   • April 16 2009, The Northern Echo - Bobby dazzler

     A LOT of people could ask me that question. It’s a Marmite thing, you either love him or hate him,” admits Consett actor Chris Coxon who is one of the first people on the planet to attempt to become a real-life version of cult animated character Spongebob Squarepants

Verb

Marmite ‎(third-person singular simple present Marmites, present participle Marmiting, simple past and past participle Marmited)

1. (transitive) To apply Marmite to.
   • 2009 December 9, John Kelly, “Marmite is more easily digested in book form”, in Washington Post:

     My toast carefully Marmited, I took a bite and immediately felt as if I’d been hit in the face by an ocean wave, a wave befouled by oil from a sinking tanker, oil that had caused a die-off of marine birds and invertebrates, creatures whose decomposing bodies were adding to the general funkiness that had found its way inside my mouth.

English

Noun

marmite ‎(plural marmites)

1. A rounded earthenware cooking pot.

French

Etymology

From Old French marmite ‎(“hypocritical”), referencing the hidden contents of the pot, from marmotter ‎(“to mutter”) + mite ‎(“cat”) (from the onomatopoetic base mar- ‘murmur, meow’).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maʁmit/

Noun

marmite f ‎(plural marmites)

1. pot, cooking-pot, marmite
2. (military slang) (heavy) shell