mallow
Americannoun
noun
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any plant of the malvaceous genus Malva, esp M. sylvestris of Europe, having purple, pink, or white flowers See also dwarf mallow musk mallow
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any of various related plants, such as the marsh mallow, rose mallow, Indian mallow, and tree mallow
Etymology
Origin of mallow
before 1000; Middle English malue, Old English mealwe < Latin malva
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the early morning, the east-facing yard is alive with butterflies and bees, dancing over electric-purple whorls of celestial blue sage and sunny Palmer’s Indian mallow growing over the fence.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025
In Jabaliya, a refugee camp near Gaza City, families scrounged for mallow leaves to make a thin broth to break the daily Ramadan fast.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 6, 2024
The deserted village is slowly being taken over by vast banks of wild mallow.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2024
Communities like this are an excellent source of knowledge, suggestions and recipes, such as swapping mallow for expensive kale when you make kale chips.
From Salon • Oct. 26, 2023
In the spring the tall grass grew along its sides— wild oats and mallow weeds and yellow mustard mixed in.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.