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

Ours fold in extra mini marshmallows, for pockets of sugary goodness. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 July 2026

Move over, graham crackers and marshmallows—your summer campfire is going to be roasting up so much more than just sweet s'mores this summer. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026

Doritos, ramen, marshmallows, and frosted cereals; French fries cooked in beef tallow; tofu prepared on a grill that just had meat on it—even the most innocuous products can contain beef, pork, or dairy. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Officials said that several children outside in a patio area were roasting marshmallows on a device called Flikr Fire, a tabletop fireplace kit that uses rubbing alcohol for fuel and was recalled in 2024. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

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- 

variants or marsh mallow

: 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