marshmallow

noun

marsh·​mal·​low ˈmärsh-ˌme-lō 

-ˌma-

1

usually marsh mallow : a pink-flowered European perennial herb (Althaea officinalis) of the mallow family that is naturalized in the eastern U.S. and has flowers, leaves, and roots used in herbal remedies

2

: a sweet white confection usually in the form of a spread or small spongy cylindrical pieces now usually made from corn syrup, sugar, albumen, and gelatin but formerly from the marshmallow's root

also : one of these spongy pieces

toasted marshmallows on sticks over a campfire

marshmallowy

ˈmärsh-ˌme-lə-wē 

-ˌma-

adjective

Examples of marshmallow in a Sentence

We toasted marshmallows over the fire.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rich Pistachio is an elevated gourmand, with cardamom, bergamot, marshmallow, oak wood, tonka bean and, of course, pistachio. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

They're still essentially melted butter and marshmallows plus cereal, but with a few key changes. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2025

Farmhouse also hosts daily wine tastings — at 4:30 p.m. by the firepits — followed by nightly s’mores at 6 p.m. with marshmallows made by the restaurant’s pastry chef. —Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2025

The 5-year-old Clayton likes his hot chocolate plain without marshmallows. —Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for marshmallow

• morello
• othello
• schoolfellow
• cello
• fellow
• jello
• mellow
• melo
• velo
• portobello
• violoncello

Kids Definition

marshmallow

noun

marsh·​mal·​low ˈmärsh-ˌmel-ō 

-ˌmal-

1

: a pink-flowered herb related to the mallows that has a root sometimes used in sweets and in medicine

2

: a soft spongy sweet formerly made from the root of the marshmallow but now usually prepared from corn syrup, sugar, albumen, and gelatin

Medical Definition

marshmallow

noun

marsh·​mal·​low ˈmärsh-ˌmel-ō, -ˌmel-ə(-w), -ˌmal- 

: a European perennial herb of the genus Althaea (A. officinalis) naturalized in the eastern United States whose pink flowers, velvety leaves, and mucilaginous root are used in herbal medicine and whose root was formerly used in confectionary see althaea sense 2