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
Recent Examples on the WebThe procedure utilizes a cylindrical marshmallow-like implant made of bovine collagen injected with a patient’s blood, and the growth factors therein that proponents say can help jump-start healing. Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 This one-bowl chocolate cake spreads a jar of marshmallow creme on the still-warm cake for a simple, yet eye-catching frosting. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2022 Boar's Head turkey dinners, which come with Boar’s Head turkey and family-friendly sides like mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberry-orange relish, and marshmallow delight. Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 30 Aug. 2022 The girls started the week with a NASA STEM activity, in which they were given 20 pieces of spaghetti and 3 feet of tape to build the tallest tower that could support a marshmallow on top. Emma Barnett, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2022 The white and puffy modern marshmallow looks much like its ancient ancestor. Jeffrey Miller, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2022 First, marshmallow lovers select the chick color (either yellow, pink, or blue), then fans can choose a dark, milk, or white chocolate dip that sits on the bottom half of the treat. Dan Heching, PEOPLE.com, 29 Mar. 2022 Add creamy marshmallow, gooey milk chocolate, and crushed graham crackers to a classic French toast recipe, turning your favorite campfire treat into a breakfast staple. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2022 Even the mignardises get an elegant presentation — a passionfruit macaron, a coconut marshmallow and an almond truffle rest on stones in a plume of thyme smoke. Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 See More
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