Maroon has 16 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun
a dark purplish-red to dark brownish-red color
"The old velvet curtain had faded from bright crimson to a deep maroon over the years."
an exploding firework used as a warning signal
"The captain fired a maroon into the dark sky to warn the approaching ships that they were in danger of running aground."
An escaped negro slave of the Caribbean and the Americas or a descendant of escaped slaves.
"The captain was honored as a true maroon after his legendary performance in the final State of Origin match."
A rich dark red, somewhat brownish, color.
A rocket-propelled firework or skyrocket, often one used as a signal (e.g. to summon the crew of a lifeboat or warn of an air raid).
An idiot; a fool.
Alternative form of maroon (“descendant of escaped slaves”)
A member of the Queensland State of Origin rugby league team, who wear maroon-coloured jerseys.
In plain English: A maroon is someone who has been left behind on an island with no way to get help.
"The maroon patch on his shirt stood out against the white uniform."
Usage: As a noun referring to a rocket-propelled firework used for signaling distress, maroon is distinct from other fireworks due to its specific purpose rather than entertainment value. This term should not be confused with the verb form meaning to abandon someone in isolation or the historical reference to escaped slaves.
leave stranded on a desert island without resources
"The mutinous sailors were marooned on an island"
To abandon in a remote, desolate place, as on a desert island.
"The mutinous captain marooned his first mate on a barren rock off the coast of Africa."
In plain English: To maroon someone means to leave them stranded on an island with no way of getting home.
"The storm marooned us on the beach for three days without any way to leave."
of dark brownish to purplish red
"The maroon curtains added a rich, deep color to the room."
Associated with Maroon culture, communities or peoples.
"The old pirate flag was faded to a deep shade of maroon."
Of a maroon color
In plain English: Maroon means dark red, often with a brownish tint.
"The sailors were marooned on an uninhabited island for weeks."
A surname.
"The Maroon family has lived in that small coastal town for three generations."
The word maroon comes from the French term marron, which originally meant "feral" or "fugitive." This French word was borrowed from the Spanish cimarrón, carrying the same sense of being wild or escaped.