marshmallow
Americannoun
-
a sweetened paste or confection made from the mucilaginous root of the marsh mallow.
-
a similar confection, usually soft and spongy, made from gum arabic or gelatin, sugar, corn syrup, and flavoring.
noun
-
a sweet of a spongy texture containing gum arabic or gelatine, sugar, etc
-
a sweetened paste or confection made from the root of the marsh mallow
Usage
What is the Marshmallow Test? The Marshmallow Test is a famous psychological test performed on young children in the 1960s linking delayed gratification (a treat right now … or two later?) to success later in life. A 2018 replication notably concluded, though, that socioeconomic background significantly influenced the ability of children to delay their gratification. So the test was biased.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of marshmallow
First recorded in 1905–10; see origin at marsh mallow
Explanation
A marshmallow is a sweet, soft treat. Marshmallows are sometimes melted and turned into a sugary topping for ice cream or a filling for baked goods. Marshmallows are made of gelatin and sugar, with a dusty powdered sugar surface, and they squish like a sponge when you squeeze or bite down on them. Marshmallows can be toasted over a fire to turn them slightly crisp on the outside and melty within, and sandwiched between graham crackers with chocolate to make a "s'more." The original 19th century marshmallows were made from a plant called mersc-mealwe (marsh mallow plant) in Old English.
Vocabulary lists containing marshmallow
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Easter Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for February 4–February 10, 2023
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Then there’s bruising running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who runs through 300-pound defenders as if they were made of marshmallow.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
These Glasgow institutions reduced Martin to marshmallow and Brendan Rodgers to a grim spectacle banging on about Honda Civics and Ferraris after a defeat at Dundee.
From BBC • Nov. 1, 2025
The cookie will be filled with “delicious flavors of chocolate, marshmallow and toasted almond–flavored crème,” the organization said in a news release.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025
But even his nonsensible marshmallow responses to her didn’t matter.
From Salon • Aug. 1, 2024
She licked a marshmallow from her upper lip.
From "Case of the Sneaky Snowman: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #5" by Carolyn Keene
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.
