What does marmalade mean?
Marmalade is a thick, sweet preserve made from fruit, sugar, and often pieces of fruit peel. Its most familiar form is orange marmalade, traditionally prepared from Seville or bitter oranges, whose peel gives the preserve its distinctive texture and slightly bitter edge. It is commonly served on toast, scones, or bread, especially at breakfast, and also appears in desserts, sauces, and festive foods. Although the word is often equated with jam, marmalade more specifically evokes citrus preserves and may contain readily visible strips of peel. The term came into English through Portuguese, where marmelada referred to a quince preserve, and its deeper origins lie in Latin and Greek words associated with a fragrant, honey-sweet fruit. Today, the expression orange marmalade can also refer more broadly to a marmalade-flavored product or dish.
nounA thick, sweet preserve made by boiling fruit with sugar, typically citrus fruit and peel, with orange marmalade made from oranges as the classic form.
- A thick, sweet fruit preserve, especially one made from oranges or other citrus fruit and their peel.
"She served warm toast with butter and marmalade for breakfast."
"He spread marmalade generously on his toast."
"The recipe calls for marmalade, a little brandy, and a generous pinch of cinnamon."
Rare in modern usage because marmalade is normally treated as an uncountable mass noun; counting is usually expressed through a container, such as a jar or pot of marmalade.
"The shop sells small marmalades in decorated tins."
Marmalade’s name has a sweet detour: it reaches back through Portuguese and Latin to a Greek term for an ancient honey-sweet fruit.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does marmalade come from?
English marmalade came through Portuguese marmelada, a word for quince preserve derived from marmelo, meaning quince. Portuguese in turn borrowed the fruit name from Latin melimelum, which came from Greek melimēlon, a term for an apple-like fruit associated with honey. The English meaning later broadened beyond quince preserves to include citrus preserves, especially orange marmalade.
Related word forms
How marmalade is actually used
Marmalade is normally an uncountable mass noun in contemporary English. A container or serving is counted indirectly, as in a jar or pot of marmalade; the plural marmalades is uncommon.
Easily confused with marmalade
Marmalade is specifically a preserve made from fruit and often contains conspicuous pieces of citrus peel, whereas jam is a broader term for fruit preserves with or without peel.