Word
marshmallow
Phoneticsmarsh·mal·low
US/ˈmɑɹʃˌmɛɫoʊ/
UK/mˈɑːʃmɐlˌəʊ/
Definition
n. a soft, white, and very sweet food that feels like a sponge. People often cook them over a fire or put them in hot chocolate.
n. a soft, aerated confection typically made from sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin. Originally derived from the root of the marshmallow plant, though modern versions use synthetic gelling agents.
Examples
“We roasted a marshmallow over the campfire.”
“The children loved watching each marshmallow melt into a sticky white goo inside their mugs of hot cocoa.”
“Food scientists have perfected the marshmallow's unique texture by carefully controlling the ratio of air to sugar syrup, ensuring it remains light yet structurally sound enough for packaging.”
Examples
simple
“We roasted a marshmallow over the campfire.”
contextual
“The children loved watching each marshmallow melt into a sticky white goo inside their mugs of hot cocoa.”
complex
“Food scientists have perfected the marshmallow's unique texture by carefully controlling the ratio of air to sugar syrup, ensuring it remains light yet structurally sound enough for packaging.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable mass when referring to the substance generally, but countable when referring to individual pieces.
Etymology
From Old English mersċmealwe, corresponding to marsh + mallow.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/marshmallow