"marplot" meaning in English

See marplot in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈmɑːplɒt/ [UK], /ˈmɑɹplɑt/ [General-American] Forms: more marplot [comparative], most marplot [superlative]
Etymology: From mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”). In earliest use as a character name in The Busie Body, by Susanna Centlivre, in 1709. Compare addle-plot. Etymology templates: {{com|en|mar|plot|t1=to spoil, to ruin|t2=plan}} mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”) Head templates: {{en-adj}} marplot (comparative more marplot, superlative most marplot)
  1. (now rare) Ruining a plan, interfering, spoilsport. Tags: archaic
    Sense id: en-marplot-en-adj-9M6ZVmjv Categories (other): English exocentric verb-noun compounds Disambiguation of English exocentric verb-noun compounds: 49 51

Noun

IPA: /ˈmɑːplɒt/ [UK], /ˈmɑɹplɑt/ [General-American] Forms: marplots [plural]
Etymology: From mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”). In earliest use as a character name in The Busie Body, by Susanna Centlivre, in 1709. Compare addle-plot. Etymology templates: {{com|en|mar|plot|t1=to spoil, to ruin|t2=plan}} mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”) Head templates: {{en-noun}} marplot (plural marplots)
  1. Synonym of spoilsport, one who ruins other's plans or enjoyment of something. Synonyms: spoilsport [synonym, synonym-of], one who ruins other's plans or enjoyment of something [synonym, synonym-of] Derived forms: marplotry
    Sense id: en-marplot-en-noun-4BO3PgHc Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English exocentric verb-noun compounds, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, People Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 24 76 Disambiguation of English exocentric verb-noun compounds: 49 51 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 21 79 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 15 85 Disambiguation of People: 0 100

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "mar",
        "3": "plot",
        "t1": "to spoil, to ruin",
        "t2": "plan"
      },
      "expansion": "mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”)",
      "name": "com"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”). In earliest use as a character name in The Busie Body, by Susanna Centlivre, in 1709. Compare addle-plot.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "marplots",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
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  "head_templates": [
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      "args": {},
      "expansion": "marplot (plural marplots)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "attestations": [
        {
          "date": "from 18th c.",
          "references": []
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "49 51",
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          "name": "English exocentric verb-noun compounds",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "21 79",
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          "_dis": "15 85",
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        {
          "_dis": "0 100",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
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        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "marplotry"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              9,
              16
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter XI, in The Understanding Heart:",
          "text": "“The old marplot has discovered the baby,” Monica whispered. “I suppose it cried and woke him up, and now he thinks he's witness to a miracle.”",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              132,
              139
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2006, Anne Birrell, “Myth as Sacred History”, in Chinese Myth and Culture, Cambridge: McGuinness China Monographs, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 92:",
          "text": "Several classical texts relate that the mighty god Kung Kung (Common Work) [translating 共工 (Gònggōng)] plays the mythic role of the marplot, that is, one who seeks to destroy the cosmos.⁴¹ Chapter Three of Huai-nan Tzu [translating 淮南子 (Huáinánzǐ)], for example, narrates how the rebellious Kung Kung fought with the sky god Chuan Hsü [translating 顓頊 /颛顼] for world domination and in his titanic fury Kung Kung broke one of the supports that separated the sky from the earth.⁴²",
          "type": "quotation"
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            [
              47,
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          "ref": "2012, Michael Burleigh, “Keeping the Flame Alive”, in Literary Review, section 402:",
          "text": "Unthinking Anglo-Saxons regard him as a Gallic marplot, rather than the great twentieth-century statesman he was – certainly the greatest Frenchman since Napoleon.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of spoilsport, one who ruins other's plans or enjoyment of something."
      ],
      "id": "en-marplot-en-noun-4BO3PgHc",
      "links": [
        [
          "spoilsport",
          "spoilsport#English"
        ],
        [
          "ruin",
          "ruin#English"
        ],
        [
          "other",
          "other#English"
        ],
        [
          "plan",
          "plan#English"
        ],
        [
          "enjoyment",
          "enjoyment#English"
        ],
        [
          "something",
          "something#English"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "spoilsport"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "one who ruins other's plans or enjoyment of something"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɑːplɒt/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɑɹplɑt/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Susanna Centlivre",
    "The Busie Body"
  ],
  "word": "marplot"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
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        "2": "mar",
        "3": "plot",
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        "t2": "plan"
      },
      "expansion": "mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”)",
      "name": "com"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”). In earliest use as a character name in The Busie Body, by Susanna Centlivre, in 1709. Compare addle-plot.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more marplot",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
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    },
    {
      "form": "most marplot",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
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  ],
  "head_templates": [
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      "expansion": "marplot (comparative more marplot, superlative most marplot)",
      "name": "en-adj"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
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          "date": "from 18th c.",
          "references": []
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          "ref": "1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives, vol. V, letter 83:",
          "text": "Let us argue the point with this pert, unruly, marplot conscience of mine…",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Ruining a plan, interfering, spoilsport."
      ],
      "id": "en-marplot-en-adj-9M6ZVmjv",
      "links": [
        [
          "Ruining",
          "ruining#English"
        ],
        [
          "plan",
          "plan"
        ],
        [
          "interfering",
          "interfering"
        ],
        [
          "spoilsport",
          "spoilsport"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(now rare) Ruining a plan, interfering, spoilsport."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɑːplɒt/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɑɹplɑt/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Susanna Centlivre",
    "The Busie Body"
  ],
  "word": "marplot"
}
{
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    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English eponyms",
    "English exocentric verb-noun compounds",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "en:People"
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      "word": "marplotry"
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        "2": "mar",
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        "t2": "plan"
      },
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      "name": "com"
    }
  ],
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      "form": "marplots",
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        "plural"
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      "expansion": "marplot (plural marplots)",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
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          "date": "from 18th c.",
          "references": []
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      "examples": [
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          "bold_text_offsets": [
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          "ref": "1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter XI, in The Understanding Heart:",
          "text": "“The old marplot has discovered the baby,” Monica whispered. “I suppose it cried and woke him up, and now he thinks he's witness to a miracle.”",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              132,
              139
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2006, Anne Birrell, “Myth as Sacred History”, in Chinese Myth and Culture, Cambridge: McGuinness China Monographs, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 92:",
          "text": "Several classical texts relate that the mighty god Kung Kung (Common Work) [translating 共工 (Gònggōng)] plays the mythic role of the marplot, that is, one who seeks to destroy the cosmos.⁴¹ Chapter Three of Huai-nan Tzu [translating 淮南子 (Huáinánzǐ)], for example, narrates how the rebellious Kung Kung fought with the sky god Chuan Hsü [translating 顓頊 /颛顼] for world domination and in his titanic fury Kung Kung broke one of the supports that separated the sky from the earth.⁴²",
          "type": "quotation"
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        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              47,
              54
            ]
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          "ref": "2012, Michael Burleigh, “Keeping the Flame Alive”, in Literary Review, section 402:",
          "text": "Unthinking Anglo-Saxons regard him as a Gallic marplot, rather than the great twentieth-century statesman he was – certainly the greatest Frenchman since Napoleon.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of spoilsport, one who ruins other's plans or enjoyment of something."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "spoilsport",
          "spoilsport#English"
        ],
        [
          "ruin",
          "ruin#English"
        ],
        [
          "other",
          "other#English"
        ],
        [
          "plan",
          "plan#English"
        ],
        [
          "enjoyment",
          "enjoyment#English"
        ],
        [
          "something",
          "something#English"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
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          "word": "spoilsport"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "one who ruins other's plans or enjoyment of something"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɑːplɒt/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
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      "ipa": "/ˈmɑɹplɑt/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Susanna Centlivre",
    "The Busie Body"
  ],
  "word": "marplot"
}

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    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English eponyms",
    "English exocentric verb-noun compounds",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
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      "args": {
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        "2": "mar",
        "3": "plot",
        "t1": "to spoil, to ruin",
        "t2": "plan"
      },
      "expansion": "mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”)",
      "name": "com"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From mar (“to spoil, to ruin”) + plot (“plan”). In earliest use as a character name in The Busie Body, by Susanna Centlivre, in 1709. Compare addle-plot.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more marplot",
      "tags": [
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      "form": "most marplot",
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        "superlative"
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          "text": "Let us argue the point with this pert, unruly, marplot conscience of mine…",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
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        "Ruining a plan, interfering, spoilsport."
      ],
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        ],
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          "plan"
        ],
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        ],
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          "spoilsport",
          "spoilsport"
        ]
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        "(now rare) Ruining a plan, interfering, spoilsport."
      ],
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      "ipa": "/ˈmɑːplɒt/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmɑɹplɑt/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Susanna Centlivre",
    "The Busie Body"
  ],
  "word": "marplot"
}

Download raw JSONL data for marplot meaning in English (4.8kB)

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/match_links_to_form",
  "msg": "form='marplot' has many different link candidates `{link_dict[form]}`, which can't be disambiguated.",
  "path": [
    "marplot"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "marplot",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/match_links_to_form",
  "msg": "form='marplot' has many different link candidates `{link_dict[form]}`, which can't be disambiguated.",
  "path": [
    "marplot"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "marplot",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/match_links_to_form",
  "msg": "form='marplot' has many different link candidates `{link_dict[form]}`, which can't be disambiguated.",
  "path": [
    "marplot"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "marplot",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-05-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-05-01 using wiktextract (f69e205 and 9452535). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.