Word
mellow
Phoneticsmel·low, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɛɫoʊ/
UK/mˈɛləʊ/
Definition
adj. relaxed, calm, and pleasant. You use this to describe a person who is easygoing or a sound that is soft and smooth.
adj. characterised by a relaxed, easygoing temperament or a soft, resonant quality of sound. Often describes the pleasant maturity of wine, cheese, or a person's character over time.
Examples
“He became much more mellow as he got older.”
“After a long day at the office, she liked to listen to some mellow jazz to help her unwind.”
“The golden hour light gave the entire valley a mellow glow, softening the sharp edges of the granite cliffs and signaling the end of the trek.”
Examples
simple
“He became much more mellow as he got older.”
contextual
“After a long day at the office, she liked to listen to some mellow jazz to help her unwind.”
complex
“The golden hour light gave the entire valley a mellow glow, softening the sharp edges of the granite cliffs and signaling the end of the trek.”
Usage
Often follows linking verbs like 'become', 'stay', or 'feel'.
Real-World Examples
“This is why a cold brew takes much longer and has a much more mellow flavour than a hot brew of the same beans.” Etymology
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English melowe, melwe (“ripe, mellow; juicy; sweet”) [and other forms]; further etymology uncertain, possibly: from an attributive use of melow, melowe, melewe, mele (“meal from ground grain or legumes; flour; kernel of barley or lentils”) [and other forms], from Old English melo, melu (“meal (edible part of a grain or pulse); flour”), from Proto-Germanic melwą (“ground corn; meal; flour”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to crush; to grind”); or a variant of Middle English merow, merowe, meruw (“soft, tender; of a person: frail; of love: unstable, variable”) [and other forms], from Old English meru, mearu (“soft, tender; delicate, frail; callow”) [and other forms], from Proto-Germanic marwaz (“soft, mellow; brittle, delicate”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer(w)- (“to rub; to pack”). The noun and verb are both derived from the adjective. The etymology of noun sense 3 (“close friend; lover”) is unknown, but may also be derived from the adjective. Cognates * Dutch murw (“tender”) * German mürbe (“soft, tender”) * German Low German möör (“tender”) * Old Norse mör (“tender; aching”) (Icelandic meyr (“tender”)) * Saterland Frisian muur (“tender”) * West Frisian murf (“tender”)
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/mellow