marshmallow

noun

marsh·​mal·​low ˈmärsh-ˌme-lō How to pronounce marshmallow (audio)
-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 adjective

Examples of marshmallow in a Sentence

We toasted marshmallows over the fire.
Recent Examples on the Web Room Essentials Figural Flower Snack Bowl Buy on Target $3 Your candy eggs, jelly beans, or marshmallow Peeps need a festive home, and this blooming flower bowl is it. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2024 That bill goes into effect in 2027 and prompted Just Born, which makes the colorful marshmallow Peeps, to remove red dye No. 3 from its recipe. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Day thought marshmallows would be less messy than molasses. Amy Huschka, Detroit Free Press, 27 Feb. 2024 To participate, make a diorama of any size featuring marshmallow Peeps. Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2024 In truth, there are actually six ingredients: ½ cup of popcorn kernels, 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, one bag of mini marshmallows, ½ cup of butter, a cap-full of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 These people have the structural integrity of marshmallows. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 The Pinch Me is even garnished with lucky marshmallows for an extra festive touch. Aly Walansky, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Dress it up with all the s'mores essentials—marshmallows, graham crackers, and melted chocolate. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marshmallow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of marshmallow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near marshmallow

Cite this Entry

“Marshmallow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marshmallow. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

marshmallow

noun
marsh·​mal·​low ˈmärsh-ˌmel-ō How to pronounce marshmallow (audio)
-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
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on marshmallow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!