marbled

Marbled is a descriptive term used for surfaces or materials that display a variegated pattern resembling marble: streaks, veins, or swirls of different colors that mix in irregular ways. The effect can be natural or produced intentionally.

In meat science, marbling refers to intramuscular fat dispersed within muscle tissue. The amount and distribution of this fat influence tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Marbling is a primary criterion in beef grading systems; higher marbling scores are associated with premium cuts such as USDA Prime and with certain breeds like Wagyu.

In arts and crafts, marbling is a technique to create patterned surfaces by floating pigments on a viscous liquid and transferring the pattern to paper, fabric, or ceramics. Paper marbling and ebru or suminagashi are historical forms, used in bookbinding and decorative papers.

In geology and design, marbled describes the appearance of stones and other materials with natural veining and color variation. Marble, a metamorphic rock, commonly displays veins of calcite or other minerals that produce a marbled look; the term is also used for engineered surfaces, countertops, tiles, and plastics that imitate this texture.

The word appears in desserts and confections as a marbled pattern, such as marble cake or marbled chocolate, where light and dark batters swirl together to create a mottled interior.