marshmallow
(märs̸h′mel′ō, -mal′ō)
noun
- a sweet paste first made from the root of the marsh mallow, and now made of sugar, starch, corn syrup, and gelatin
- a soft, spongy confection, in the form of small, rounded pieces coated with powdered sugar, made of this paste
See marshmallow in American Heritage Dictionary 4
nouna. A light, spongy, very sweet confection made of corn syrup, gelatin, sugar, and starch and dusted with powdered sugar.
b. A confection of sweetened paste, formerly made from the root of the marshmallow plant.
- often marsh mallow Botany A perennial plant (Althaea officinalis) native to Europe and naturalized in marshes of eastern North America, having showy pink flowers and a mucilaginous root occasionally used as a demulcent and in confectionery.
- Slang A timid, cowardly, or ineffective person.
Related Forms:
- marshˈmalˌlow·y adjective
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