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

The indifference extended even to Bubs, foamy, marshmallow-adjacent disks from Sweden that surged on TikTok last year, causing a global shortage. —Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

Made with 100 perecent Ontario cream, Slickers County Ice Cream scoops up inventive flavors like Cherry Cheesecake, Campfire (which tastes just like roasted marshmallows), and Apple Pie, made with actual homemade pie. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025

Their marshmallow-like shapes contrast with a raw, brutal finish, celebrating an unusual casting process that preserves traces of handwork and visible seams. —Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

The praline and coconut in Cloud amplifies the sweetness without competing with the orange blossom, creating this dreamy vanilla cloud effect that feels like the perfect marshmallow enhancement. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 5 Sep. 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