maroon

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree Byzantine Greek μάραον (máraon)bor. Italian marronebor. French marronbor. English maroon From earlier marone, marron, borrowed from French marron (“chestnut; brown”). Compare Spanish marrón. Doublet of marron (“sweet chestnut”).

1. Of a dark red or reddish-brown color.

name

1. A surname.

noun

Etymology: From an intentional mispronunciation of the word moron used by the cartoon character Bugs Bunny.

1. An idiot; a fool.

   “At least, I would not be sleeping that night. Why did I have that espresso? What a maroon!”

verb

Etymology: From French marron (“feral; fugitive”, adjective), from Spanish cimarrón (“fugitive, wild, feral”); see that entry for more.

1. To abandon in a remote, desolate place, as on a desert island.

   “Hard-hit by the Arctic winter, the Waverley route was completely closed from January 6-9, when an avalanche between Whitrope and Riccarton marooned Class A2 4-6-2 No. 60535 Hornet's Beauty.”

   “After the harrowing stories of being marooned at sea and stranded in the frozen wastelands of Alaska and the Poles, one would think that survival on dry land would be easier […]”