A rounded cooking pot of various designs, commonly pot-bellied, with or without tripod, handles, lid etc; originally earthenware but currently more commonly of cast iron or other metals.
1824 Thomas Gill. The Technical Repository p. 180: XXXV: On the French Marmite, or Pot-au-Feu: and on preparing Bouillon with it My little boy having been ill of a fever for forty days, I have learned from his attendant how to make the celebrated soup (bouillon) of Paris: and finding it to be superior to any that I ever before tasted, I take the liberty to send you the directions necessary to enable any one to prepare this cheap and desirable food. Earthen-pots with covers, made to hold from one to seven pounds of meat, are found in every family. The marmite bought for me was for one-and-a-half pound only: this quantity of lean meat (bœufmaigre), was always part of the leg or shoulder: it was put into the marmite, which was then filled up with cold water, about five pints, and placed on the hearth, close to the wood-fire; and when it began to simmer or boil gently, it threw up a scum, which was carefully taken off from time to time with a spoon, for the space of threequarters of an hour, which perfectly cleansed the meat and water from every impurity.
Marmite
adj
/ˈmɑː(ɹ)maɪt/
Etymology From French marmite (“cooking pot”). The common-noun sense derives from an advertising campaign (1996 and onwards) featuring the slogan love it or hate it.
1
UK, Informal Divisive, such that one either loves or hates it; polarizing.
But that 10% gap between fans and detractors leaves room for an interesting concept: is there something more Marmite than Marmite?2019 October 25, “What’s more Marmite than Marmite?”, in YouGov:
'Hangry', fittingly, is very Marmite. For some it is newfangled and unpalatable, but for others it is an essential description of everyday life.2022 October 13, Susie Dent, Words from the Heart: An Emotional Dictionary, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
1 more example
London is perhaps the ultimate Marmite city. One second you're head over heels in love with it; the next you're searching 'Manchester' on Rightmove. But what are the most Marmite things IN London? These six things, we reckon.2023 October 11, Will Noble, “Are These The 6 Most Marmite Things In London?”, in Londonist:
Marmite
verb
Etymology From French marmite (“cooking pot”). The common-noun sense derives from an advertising campaign (1996 and onwards) featuring the slogan love it or hate it.
1
To apply Marmite to.
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.2009 December 9, John Kelly, “Marmite is more easily digested in book form”, in Washington Post:
Marmite
noun
Etymology From French marmite (“cooking pot”). The common-noun sense derives from an advertising campaign (1996 and onwards) featuring the slogan love it or hate it.
1
UK, Informal Something which people either love or hate.
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.2000 May 30, Mike Page, “Re: Milk bar [WAS: Re: Great googly-moogly]”, in alt.usage.english (Usenet):
Ah, anchovies - the marmite of the marine world. Personally, I love them, at least on pizzas.2001 March 6, Mark Blunden, “Re:Another Recipe Request”, in alt.babylon5.uk (Usenet):
4 more examples
I have a feeling that this pie is the Marmite of the school pie world. You either loved it or you hated it.2008, Becky Thorn, “Pies”, in School Dinners: Recipes and Reminiscences of the Good, the Bad and the Spotted Dick, Anova Books, →ISBN, page 24:
Catamarans are the Marmite of powerboating – you either love them or you hate them.2008, Tim Bartlett, Simon Collis, Tony Jones, “Design and Construction”, in Complete Powerboating Manual, New Holland Publishers, →ISBN, page 164:
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^([sic])2009 April 16, “Bobby dazzler”, in The Northern Echo:
“I’ve always been quite a Marmite personality,” she says, comparing herself to the divisive umami toast spread.2022 June 2, Anna Peele, quoting Olivia Attwood, “Inside ‘Love Island,’ From the Tragic Suicide Deaths to New Mental Health Protocols”, in Vanity Fair: