marshmallow

[mahrsh-mel-oh, -mal-oh]

noun

1. a sweetened paste or confection made from the mucilaginous root of the marsh mallow.

2. a similar confection, usually soft and spongy, made from gum arabic or gelatin, sugar, corn syrup, and flavoring.

marshmallow

/ ˌmɑːʃˈmæləʊ /

noun

1. a sweet of a spongy texture containing gum arabic or gelatine, sugar, etc

2. a sweetened paste or confection made from the root of the marsh mallow

Other Word Forms

• marshmallowy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of marshmallow¹

First recorded in 1905–10; marsh mallow

Example Sentences

If that doesn't seem enough there's a special cocktail, the Transatlantic Whisky Sour, which blends Johnnie Walker with the bright citrus of marmalade, with pecan foam and a toasted marshmallow on a biscuit.

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Fans of rocky road ice cream can rejoice because the flavor — chocolate ice cream swirled with nuts and marshmallows — will be available in Girl Scout cookie form next year.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The new frozen cups recipe was with half Kool-Aid and half snowball syrup –– and she even added one marshmallow that always floated to the top as a chef’s kiss.

Read more on Salon

The final task involved residents building the tallest tower using spaghetti and marshmallows.

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Charities have warned of a growing trade in wild animals across Scotland after a monkey was discovered in a bird cage in East Lothian with a marshmallow addiction.

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Related Words

• amiable 
• cordial 
• even-tempered 
• friendly 
• good-hearted 
• good-humored 
• gracious 

When To Use

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.