mellow

American  

[mel-oh] / ˈmɛl oʊ /

adjective

mellower, mellowest

1. soft, sweet, and full-flavored from ripeness, as fruit.

   Antonyms:

   green, raw, immature

2. well-matured, as wines.

3. soft and rich, as sound, tones, color, or light.

   Antonyms:

   harsh

4. made gentle and compassionate by age or maturity; softened.

5. friable or loamy, as soil.

6. mildly and pleasantly intoxicated or high.

7. pleasantly agreeable; free from tension, discord, etc..

   a mellow neighborhood.

8. affably relaxed; easygoing; genial.

   a mellow teacher who is very popular with her students.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become mellow.

   Synonyms:

   improve, mature, develop

noun

1. Slang. a state, atmosphere, or mood of ease and gentle relaxation.

verb phrase

1. mellow out

   1. to become detached from worry, strife, stress, etc.; relax.

      After final exams let's go down to the beach and mellow out.

   2. to make more relaxed, agreeable, workable, etc.; soften or smooth.

      Chopin really mellows me out when I'm feeling tense.

mellow British  

/ ˈmɛləʊ /

adjective

1. (esp of fruits) full-flavoured; sweet; ripe

2. (esp of wines) well-matured

3. (esp of colours or sounds) soft or rich

4. kind-hearted, esp through maturity or old age

5. genial, as through the effects of alcohol

6. (of soil) soft and loamy

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verb

1. to make or become mellow; soften; mature

2. (foll by out) to become calm and relaxed or (esp of a drug) to have a calming or relaxing effect on (someone)

Usage

What does mellow mean? Mellow means soft, sweet, and full of flavor, usually in reference to ripe fruits.Mellow can also mean well matured, especially in reference to wine.Mellow can also mean soft and rich, usually in reference to sound, color, or musical tone.And mellow can describe a mild and pleasant intoxication or high.You’ll also see mellow used in reference to people. A mellow person is usually easy-going and relaxed. If they’ve mellowed over time, they’ve become more relaxed.In slang, mellow means a mood or atmosphere of relaxation. You might hear something like “Don’t harsh my mellow,” meaning “Don’t spoil my good mood.”Example: Luis became much more mellow after they left their stressful job.

Related Words

See ripe.

Other Word Forms

• mellowly adverb
• mellowness noun
• overmellow adjective
• overmellowly adverb
• overmellowness noun
• unmellow adjective
• unmellowed adjective

Etymology

Origin of mellow

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English mel(o)we, alteration (perhaps by dissimilation, in phrase meruw fruit ) of Middle English meruw, Old English meru “soft”

Example Sentences

The edges of radicchio mellow just enough to stay interesting.

From Salon

Stern, who practically created the radio shock-jock format, has mellowed with age, focusing more on extended interviews.

From MarketWatch

Not the mellow, easy-listening variety that serves as background music in elevators and waiting rooms.

From Los Angeles Times

The drums can produce melody and, while mellow, come alive with a speed that dramatically raises the pulse rate.

From Los Angeles Times

They were considerably mellower than the originals—we got a taste of what those might have been like from a brief preview set performed by the blues guitarist and singer Memphis Gold.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• delicate
• savory
• soft
• soothing
• sweet