English Meaning & Definitions
Pleasantly smooth, soft, or free from harshness, typically describing a sound, flavor, or light.
- “The jazz band played a mellow tune that filled the cozy café.”
- “They sat on the porch enjoying the mellow warmth of the late afternoon sun.”
(Of a person or character) relaxed, calm, and good-humored, often as a result of age or experience.
- “He used to be high-strung, but he has really mellowed out as he's gotten older.”
- “She has a very mellow personality and rarely gets stressed.”
To become or make smooth, soft, or relaxed.
- “Good wine mellows as it ages in wooden barrels.”
- “Time and experience tend to mellow a person's extreme views.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “mellow”.
Derived from Old English 'melu' (meal, flour) and related to 'soft', originally meaning soft or ripe as a result of being ground or aged. Over time, it evolved from describing overripe fruit to describing soothing sounds, colors, and relaxed personalities.
Think of a 'melon' that is ripe, soft, sweet, and mellow.
Frequently Asked Questions About “mellow”
1. What is the meaning of “mellow” in English?
In English, mellow (adjective) is defined as: “Pleasantly smooth, soft, or free from harshness, typically describing a sound, flavor, or light.”.
2. How do you use “mellow” in a sentence?
“The jazz band played a mellow tune that filled the cozy café.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “mellow”?
Derived from Old English 'melu' (meal, flour) and related to 'soft', originally meaning soft or ripe as a result of being ground or aged. Over time, it evolved from describing overripe fruit to describing soothing sounds, colors, and relaxed personalities.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.