noun

mallow

MAL-oh

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Mallow (noun) means a plant belonging to the Malvaceae family, particularly the genus Malva; several species have leaves or flowers that people eat. Example: “Pink mallow flowers grow along the hedgerow every summer.”

noun

A plant belonging to the Malvaceae family, particularly the genus Malva; several species have leaves or flowers that people eat.

"Pink mallow flowers grow along the hedgerow every summer."

"She added young mallow leaves to the salad."

"The garden centre sells several varieties of mallow for borders."

How to use mallow

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA family of flowering plants, some of which you can eat.

When to use it

It is an everyday plant name used in gardening and cookery as well as botany.

Memory tip

Mallow and mauve share the same Latin root, which is why the colour mauve was named after the plant's flowers.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

mauve → marsh mallow

Common pairings

common mallow mallow flowers wild mallow a patch of mallow

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “mallow” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Pink _____ flowers grow along the hedgerow every summer.

Etymology

Mallow comes from Middle English malwe, which developed from Old English mealwe. That Old English word was itself borrowed from Latin malva, the same root that also gave English the word mauve.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for mallow

allow wallow hallow fallow swallow shallow marshmallow

See all rhymes for mallow →

Frequently asked questions

What does mallow mean?

It is the name for plants in the Malva group of the mallow family, some of which have edible leaves and flowers.

Is mallow the same as marshmallow?

The confection marshmallow was originally made using the root of a related plant, the marsh mallow, but the word mallow itself just names the plant group.

Can you eat mallow?

Several mallow species are edible, and their leaves and flowers are sometimes used in salads and cooking.

What is the meaning of mallow?

"mallow" (noun) means a plant belonging to the Malvaceae family, particularly the genus Malva; several species have leaves or flowers that people eat.