mallow

noun

mal·​low ˈma-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce mallow (audio)
: any of a genus (Malva of the family Malvaceae, the mallow family) of herbs with palmately lobed or dissected leaves, usually showy flowers, and a disk-shaped fruit

Illustration of mallow

Illustration of mallow

Examples of mallow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lavender flowered chaparral mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus) grows 6 to 8 feet tall and wide with small, silvery-green leaves. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023 My favorite is ‘Louis Hamilton’ desert mallow, whose flowers are the color of ripe watermelons. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023 California natives like lavender blooming chaparral mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus), yellow flowered bladder pod (Peritoma arborea), garden-sized scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia), jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) and many more. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2023 Two species of hibiscus, common rose mallow and swamp rose mallow, are both native to wetlands and moist areas of eastern North America. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2023 The Toasty Marshmallow tastes mostly like an untoasted marshmallow—slightly sweet with a mallow-y aftertaste. Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 23 Sep. 2022 The oldest ingredient in the s’more’s holy trinity is the marshmallow, a sweet that gets its name from a plant called, appropriately enough, the marsh mallow. Jeffrey Miller, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2022 The company offers jars of mallows in a wide range of hues. Morgan Lyle, Field & Stream, 25 Apr. 2023 Continue planting native plants like the majestic coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), monkey flower (Mimulus and Diplacus), Indian mallow (Abutilon palmeri), yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and buckwheats (Eriogonum). Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mallow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English malwe, from Old English mealwe, from Latin malva

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mallow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near mallow

Cite this Entry

“Mallow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mallow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mallow

noun
mal·​low ˈmal-ō How to pronounce mallow (audio)
: any of a group of herbs with lobed leaves, usually showy flowers, and a disk-shaped fruit

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