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marmalade

American  
[mahr-muh-leyd, mahr-muh-leyd] / ˈmɑr məˌleɪd, ˌmɑr məˈleɪd /

noun

  1. a jellylike preserve in which small pieces of fruit and fruit rind, as of oranges or lemons, are suspended.

marmalade British  
/ ˈmɑːməˌleɪd /

noun

  1. a preserve made by boiling the pulp and rind of citrus fruits, esp oranges, with sugar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. (of cats) streaked orange or yellow and brown

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of marmalade

1515–25; < Portuguese marmelada quince jam, derivative of marmelo quince < Latin melimēlum a kind of apple < Greek melímēlon ( méli honey + mêlon a fruit); -ade 1

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.

Now Brussels has updated its rules after the UK's departure, allowing all EU countries to permit non-citrus spreads to be marketed as "marmalade" from June.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

At Sainsbury's the range is similarly extensive with orange marmalade, salted caramel, carrot, cherry, rhubarb, ginger and cinnamon.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

A few combinations I love: a loaf of homemade sourdough alongside a beautiful farmers’ market marmalade.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2025

“Any shortbread. Shortbread goes really good with soy sauce. If you’re making Linzer cookies and the jam or marmalade is a little sweet, you can mix a little soy sauce in.”

From Salon • Dec. 13, 2025

At this point, Fred caught his mother’s eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling

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.