Definition of "marshmallow" []

• A light, spongy, very sweet confection made of corn syrup, gelatin, sugar, and starch and dusted with powdered sugar. (noun)
• A confection of sweetened paste, formerly made from the root of the marshmallow plant. (noun)
• 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. (noun)
• Slang A timid, cowardly, or ineffective person. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "They are what I call marshmallow parents: soft, sweet and bad for their children's health."
• "This marshmallow is sublime when roasted, dipped into a delicious dark chocolate fondue, and perfect in a steaming cup of cappuccino."
• "Packaged in jars, the semi-liquid marshmallow is much softer than a regular marshmallow, and both creamy and sticky at the same time."