Marshmallow
/ˈmɑːrʃˌmæloʊ/noun
A soft, sweet confection originally made from the root of the marsh mallow plant.
Did you know?The sweet treat gets its name from the marsh mallow plant (Althaea officinalis), whose roots were once used to make soothing syrups—so the word began as herbal medicine, not dessert.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“to be soft, tender”
Old English
OE
merscmealwe
“marsh mallow plant”
Old French
OF
mauve
“mallow”
Middle English
ME
marsh mallow
“the mallow plant growing in marshes”
19th Century
English
marshmallow
“a sweet confection originally flavored or thickened with marsh mallow root”
Modern English
English
marshmallow
“a soft sweet confection or the plant-derived ingredient name”
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