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

Limit added sugars by skipping toppings like brown sugar and marshmallows on sweet potatoes. —Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 28 Apr. 2025

Beautiful mid palate flavors of oranges, tiramisu, lime tart, marshmallows and caramel. —Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025

Expect more fake eggs made of colored marshmallows or even potatoes on this year’s Easter spread With egg prices stubbornly high, the internet has offered up a host of alternatives, with crafters painting rocks and influencers dyeing everything from marshmallows to potatoes. —William Lambers, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025

This year, however, the cost of eggs has some Americans looking for alternatives — including decorating potatoes, marshmallows and onions, The New York Times reported earlier this month. —Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 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