marshmallow

/mɑːʃˈmæləʊ/

//mɑːʃˈmæləʊ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"marshmallow" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“marshmallow” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,897. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,897
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Marsh mallow, a species of mallow, Althaea officinalis, that grows in marshy terrain.

Corpus desk

Index EN-marshmallow · marshmallow · English

marshmallow · rank #23,897 · 16 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #23,897
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH Mallory

Nearest frequency peer: Mallory (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “marshmallow”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “marshmallow” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for marshmallow
PropertyValue
Headwordmarshmallow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/mɑːʃˈmæləʊ/
Letters11
Frequency rank#23,897
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “marshmallow”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).marshmallowlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Mallory” (#23,895), “machete” (#23,894), “McLeod” (#23,900). Among 4,057 “M” headwords, “marshmallow” is #23,897. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around marshmallow (IPA /mɑːʃˈmæləʊ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #23,897 among 4,057 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for marshmallow, with forms such as "amrshmallow", "marhsmallow", and "marrshmallow". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old English mersċmealwe, corresponding to marsh + mallow. The correct English form is marshmallow, spelled M-A-R-S-H-M-A-L-L-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    Marsh mallow, a species of mallow, Althaea officinalis, that grows in marshy terrain.
  2. 2
    A type of confectionery, originally (since Ancient Egyptian times) made from this plant, but now generally made of sugar or corn syrup, gelatin that has been presoftened in water, gum arabic, flavorings, and sometimes beaten egg whites, all whipped to a spongy consistency.
  3. 3
    Someone who is soft and benign.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how marshmallow appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Our common Marsh Mallows have diverse soft, hoary white stalks rising to be three or four foot high, spreading forth many branches.
  2. The Disagreeable Girl is a female of the genus homo persuasion, built around a digestive apparatus that possesses marked marshmallow proclivities.

Etymology

From Old English mersċmealwe, corresponding to marsh + mallow.

This word in other languages

malvavisco(Español)guimauve(Français)Mäusespeck(Deutsch)merengue(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • amrshmallow
  • marhsmallow
  • marrshmallow
  • marshamllow
  • marshhmallow
  • marshmalloww
  • marshmallwo
  • marshmalolw
  • marshmalow
  • marshmlalow
  • marshmmallow
  • marsmhallow
  • marsshmallow
  • masrhmallow
  • mmarshmallow
  • mrashmallow

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of marshmallow - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

amrshmallow2marhsmallow2marrshmallow1marshamllow2marshhmallow1marshmalloww1marshmallwo2marshmalolw2
Edit distance from "marshmallow"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "marshmallow"?
"marshmallow" is spelled M-A-R-S-H-M-A-L-L-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /mɑːʃˈmæləʊ/.
What does "marshmallow" mean?
As a noun, "marshmallow" means: Marsh mallow, a species of mallow, Althaea officinalis, that grows in marshy terrain.
What are common misspellings of "marshmallow"?
Common misspellings include "amrshmallow", "marhsmallow", "marrshmallow", "marshamllow", "marshhmallow". The correct spelling is "marshmallow".
How do you pronounce "marshmallow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "marshmallow" is /mɑːʃˈmæləʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "marshmallow"?
From Old English mersċmealwe, corresponding to marsh + mallow. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "marshmallow", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

mischievous#23,905overarching#23,932pathologist#23,935preventable#23,950

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

hyperbolic16 variantsprovenance16 variantsenchanting16 variantsembankment16 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list